John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar: Examining Who Is WWE's Biggest Attraction

John Cena and Brock Lesnar are two different species of WWE wrestler. Cena is the mainstream star and mainstay; Lesnar is the marquee attraction who elevates any event in which he participates.

WWE relies on Cena more, asking the 15-time world champion to be both a scrapper and a spokesman. He is often the face of the company outside the ring, whether granting wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation or appearing on morning TV to talk up the next major show.

That makes him ultimately more valuable than Lesnar, but The Beast Incarnate is the more powerful lure.

The scarcity of dates on Lesnar's calendar puts him in a rare category. He is not subject to the overexposure that men like Big Show, Randy Orton and Cena are. The powerhouse emerges at a pace that ups the significance of every punch he throws.

Cena, though, remains a special figure, full-time schedule and all. As much as WWE wants Roman Reigns to be the leader of its New Era, the leader of the Cenation has not been easy to move off his throne. He remains a megastar, a status Reigns and others are trying hard to achieve.

Lesnar

Cena's bursting out of the curtains on Raw is exciting, but when Lesnar does so, it's news. Since returning to WWE in 2012, The Beast Incarnate has maintained a part-time schedule, one where he's often saved for the biggest events of the year. 

That has only managed to increase the buzz around him.

He was a top star when he exited in 2004. His eight-year absence, coupled with his success with UFC, moved him to a higher tier, though.

Lesnar came back a bigger name, a man who headlined record-breaking UFC pay-per-views.

He also boasted an air of legitimacy that his peers couldn't claim. Dolph Ziggler thrived as an amateur at Kent State University, and Alberto Del Rio has a number of MMA wins on his resume, but nobody but Lesnar has won both a WWE title and a UFC crown. 

Combine that with only a handful of appearances a year, and it's hard to argue with WWE chairman Vince McMahon, who called Lesnar a "special attraction" on Steve Austin's podcast in 2015:

Some of the excitement around Lesnar's appearances is also a result of his rare physical gifts. If most men on the roster were to start working The Beast Incarnate's schedule, that wouldn't create the kind of spark that he has. 

Lesnar is a special athlete in addition to a special attraction. His speed belies his size. And it seems unfair that he is both as athletic and powerful as he is. He's an awe-inspiring specimen to watch.

The results are often hard-hitting bouts that feel like gladiatorial battles. Chair Shot Reality host Justin LaBar had similar thoughts about Lesnar's recent showdown with Sheamus:

The electricity around Lesnar is poised to increase in voltage after UFC 200. The powerhouse is set to return to the Octagon for a one-off in July. Should he knock out the heavy-hitting vet Mark Hunt, he will march back into a WWE ring an even bigger star.

Cena

While Lesnar is reclusive, a farm boy who told Austin on the Stone Cold Podcast that he doesn't like people, Cena is WWE's smiling, handshaking representative. 

Cena is often asked to speak for the company at press conferences. He shills the product when on late-night TV or guest-hosting the Today show. The former WWE champ will soon be the first pro wrestler to host the ESPYs award show:

Those kinds of appearances, along with his increasing number of movie roles, are making him a household name in households that may not ever turn on Raw. While Lesnar is one of the few WWE performers your sports-obsessed roommate knows by name, Cena is the wrestler your mother-in-law and eight-year-old nephew are more likely to know.

And even amid all this talk of a New Era, with Reigns holding the world title and a flood of NXT transplants invading the stage, Cena remains WWE's go-to star.

Cena returned from injury on the Memorial Day edition of Raw this year and helped prevent the ratings from entering a tailspin.

That night was not only a holiday but featured both the start of the NHL Stanley Cup Final and the deciding game of the NBA Western Conference Finals between Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder. Under these circumstances, many were predicting historically low ratings.

While it was the lowest-rated Raw of the year, it wasn't the all-time disaster some expected. PWTorch's James Caldwell noted, "WWE holding off on John Cena's return until Memorial Day likely kept them out of that territory."

With a match set against AJ Styles at Money in the Bank, Cena's star power is on display once again. 

Even with Reigns and Rollins battling for WWE's prize, it's Cena vs. Styles that feels like the PPV's real main event. WWE continues to sell it as a dream match, a designation due in large part to Cena's stature.

And when WWE mulls over Undertaker's next (and possibly last) WrestleMania match, a clash with Cena is the one true marquee match left on the table for The Deadman. Cena is on that same plane as the legendary Undertaker, a tier that WWE surely wants to fill up with more names.

Cena, though, is around too much to be Lesnar-level special. The numbers are striking.

Year	Cena Total Matches	Lesnar Total Matches	Cena PPV Matches	Lesnar PPV Matches
2012	184	2	11	2
2013	142	3	10	3
2014	164	4	12	4
2015	136	8	11	5

Lesnar is a treat; Cena is the norm. Even when Cena's tendons tear, he's not gone for long. He has been ever present, one of WWE's few constants. 

That dynamic will soon change.

At age 39, he is bound to slow down in the ring. That's especially true considering how his non-WWE career is going, with TV and movie opportunities increasing in recent years.

Expect Cena to slide out of the WWE spotlight more often and move into a role much like Lesnar's. His passion for the squared circle is bound to pull him back in, but he will be away more, resting his worn-down frame and making waves in Hollywood.

When the babyface returns sporadically, he will be more greatly appreciated, a rare marquee attraction in the vein of The Beast Incarnate.