WWE Raw: John Cena, Roddy Piper, and Why Hot Rod Is Needed Back in WWE

Okay, so a lot of fans this past week are asking why.

Why was John Cena a guest on Piper’s Pit this past Monday on Raw?  Why did Hot Rod give Cena a hard time over his relationship with the fans, who always boo him out of the building? Why did he then slap Cena, causing an unexpected moment that has perhaps opened the door to future character changes for John?

Asked and answered.

When Mick Foley had his nostalgic “This is your life” spot with Cena, many fans asked the same sorts of questions. Why include John in a spot that was made famous by The Rock back in the day? For those of us who have been around for a while and watched Cena’s meteoric rise to the top of WWE, the answers are fairly obvious. WWE is trying to get John over.

Again.

It’s not enough to tell you that he’s the best, to show you how much heart he has, to constantly remind you of how much he loves the business and how hard he will fight for his fans.

None of that will ever be enough. If it was, then we would not be talking about Cena and his love-hate relationship with fans every day of the week.

John is getting the vote of confidence from two of WWE’s all time greats. Despite how much both men were trying to get the point across that Cena should be respected, the truth is, that point is lost on the fans who hate his guts.

No hate mail here, folks. Just stating facts.

However, there is one key difference between Foley’s spot with John and Piper’s. One difference, that is, that perhaps could turn the tide for the epic heel turn that John Cena will one day inevitably make.

Shut up—it could.

The difference, simply put, is Roddy Piper.

Foley is a good guy, a fan favorite, a man who is known as much for his sometimes dark and mostly corny sense of humor as he is for his reckless wild side. He is one part a harmless clown and one part an insane daredevil.

His gimmicks, all three of them, are among some of the most creative and innovative that WWE has ever seen. At times, those characters come out in him, and he has been known to snap during a promo.

However, that was then. This is now. Now, Foley is all about the comedy.

Piper, however, is still as twisted and devious as he ever was.

Piper is the original Cerebral Assassin. His mischievous smile and wicked glare go to depths that most heels only wish they could reach. His ability to make the crowd understand where he’s coming from and anticipate the unexpected make most baby faces green with envy. And, talk about a dark sense of humor?  

He’s like Jim Carrey playing Hannibal Lecter.

Putting John in front of a character like Piper is to expose him to the harsh light of reality.  While Piper was likely given an outline of what to say, his words felt very real—as they always do—and John seemed to struggle to keep up with him.

There’s no shame in that. Piper is a natural on the mic, and if you’re not into the moment, you may be left behind.

Cena did what he always did, he smiled, he made light of the situation and he politely reminded Roddy that none of the negative reaction would ever get to him.

Nice try. However, this wasn’t Foley that Cena was dealing with.

You can’t lie to Roddy Piper. It’s not happening. His character is all about the truth, the viciously cold reality that no one can deny or run from.

When he speaks, he has a way of getting into your head. He mentally dissects you and brings out your flaws, exposing your inner demons. It’s what he does and no one is better at it.

When he slapped John, and the former champ’s expression changed—hardening a bit—fans saw just a glimpse of the heel that Cena used to be. Just a glimpse.

Roddy Piper is the only man who could bring that out. The Rock couldn’t do it. Mick Foley couldn’t do it. CM Punk couldn’t do it.

It was a brilliant move on WWE’s part. It was meant to serve a purpose, and it accomplished its goal.

Monday Night Raw, as well as WWE in general, has been criticized for having lost its edge in recent years. The company is too PG, too much comedy, not enough action. They need something to help bring some of the fire back to the fold.

That something is Roddy Piper.

As what, exactly? General Manager? Perhaps. To be honest, I don’t really care how he comes back.

I just want him back. I believe that Piper will always have something to offer to the business, and that he can bring back some of the drama and some of the plot twists that WWE has been looking for.

The spot with John Cena is just a small example of what Roddy is capable of. It was more than nostalgia to see him back on TV again. It’s a preview of what he could do from this point on.