Pros and Cons of WWE's Subdued Celebration of John Cena's 16th Title Win

John Cena made history at WWE Royal Rumble 2017 when he tied Ric Flair's record of 16 world titles. Fans knew it was only a matter of time until WWE's top guy reached the milestone, and it was one of the most historic moments in company history.

But some of the magic seemed to have been lost, thanks to WWE's lack of emphasis on the win itself. 

The Nature Boy's record was one of the last remaining landmarks in the industry. The Undertaker's undefeated streak at WrestleMania came to an end at the hands of Brock Lesnar. The New Day broke Demolition's all-time record for consecutive days as tag team champions. But nothing compared to Flair's run at the top.

No one was better in the ring or on the mic than Flair. He was the best of his generation and perhaps of all time. His love and respect for the business provided the foundation for his success, and his ability to draw made him the best choice to be the man on 16 different occasions.

Despite all the criticism that's been leveled at Cena, no one can question his own love and respect for the business. His placement atop WWE was due to his ability to capture the fans' attention and draw them in.

No one has worked harder to earn the right to be immortalized next to Flair in the record books than Cena.

But WWE's lack of spotlight on Cena's accomplishment is a concern for many fans. As with anything in Vince McMahon's company, there are good and bad points to this curious situation.

The Pros

Cena said it himself on SmackDown Live: "It ain't time to drop confetti."

That's because WWE is moving forward to the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view on Feb. 12. On that night, Cena will step into perhaps the most dangerous match in WWE against AJ Styles, Bray Wyatt, Dean Ambrose, Baron Corbin and The Miz.

It's time for the champ to get down to business, and that's the way it should be.

Cena has never been one to sit back and admire himself. He may have a swagger when it comes to being the man to beat in WWE, but once he wins, he's on to the next match. This is good for his fans, who know that Cena doesn't get too preoccupied with awards and recognition.

It's also good for his critics, who just want to move on.

The best way to silence any debate concerning whether Cena should have tied Flair was to acknowledge it and then move on. Spending too much time on it, especially on TV, would only cause the crowds to split on Cena once again.

Considering the work he put in with Styles at Royal Rumble, anything less than full fan support would be unacceptable.

Another positive about WWE moving on from Cena's title win is the fact that he may not have the championship much longer. Randy Orton's win in the Royal Rumble match, while a pleasant surprise to many fans, was also somewhat of a disappointment.

That's because Cena vs. Orton is a match that many people want nothing to do with.

These men have earned the respect of fans all over the world, but they've told many stories together over the years. Cena and Orton are their generation's Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. They will forever be connected, and their history as opponents built their careers as main event stars.

But WWE is aware of fans' lack of desire to see the match at WrestleMania 33.

So if Cena loses the strap in the Elimination Chamber, another Superstar can go on to WrestleMania and face Orton. However, if that loss comes following a televised celebration of Cena's record-tying 16th world title, WWE's top guy may come out of it all looking a bit silly.

Cena would be left out of the mix—a man who was given the title for novelty's sake only. The win would be viewed as a waste, and the record would be left in somewhat of a limbo. That's not an outcome fans want, and the same is likely true of Cena himself.

The Cons

How could WWE just let this go?

The Undertaker's undefeated WrestleMania streak was the stuff of legend, and when Brock Lesnar ended it, WWE was all over it. That moment from WrestleMania 30 in 2014 was replayed, reviewed and rewound many times long after it happened.

The company couldn't stop reminding fans of just how important the record-breaking moment was.

WWE wanted to make The Beast Incarnate look stronger than ever before, so giving him bragging rights over The Deadman was a crucial component to making it happen. Tying Flair's record of 16 may not have been done to build Cena in the same fashion, but to downplay the accomplishment lessens the impact it has on the business. 

Cena is Mr. WWE, and the idea that the company would not cover his title win with every tool at its disposal is incomprehensible.

Spotlighting Cena's win at Royal Rumble would do nothing but improve his standing with the fans. Though some will likely always hate him despite what he does, many more would be swayed to his side if he stood next to an approving Flair in the ring.

The Nature Boy's endorsement of Cena could be just as important to the WWE faithful as Cena's record-tying title win. 

Celebrating the event is important, mostly because it may never happen again. If WWE allows this to go by with no official event on TV, it will be a shame. Cena's body of work qualifies him for a future Hall of Fame spot, and there's no one more deserving of public recognition for everything he's done for the company.

Cena means so much to so many, and giving him the acclaim he's earned is the right thing to do. 

No one can ever replace The Nature Boy. Flair did more in his career than most pro wrestlers can dream of. He carried promotions on his back, and he did it in an era when being the top guy meant being the best in the locker room.

His record of world titles puts him among the elite in the history of the business, and that was true even after Cena tied him at Royal Rumble. Giving Cena his 16th world title is not about disrespecting Flair or trying to erase him from the record books. Cena has earned his spot, and the public celebration he deserves is important. It never should have been left undone.

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here.