Nobody in wrestling history has garnered more support and heat than John Cena. Now openly acknowledged as a 'polarising' figure by WWE announcers, he has divided the opinion of their fanbase for years. His detractors are often just as passionate as his fans, showering him with boos at live events, composing incredibly detailed critiques on messageboards, and singing "John Cena sucks" in time with his theme music. Many agree that the WWE would be a better place without him. But is this really the case? Of all the figures inside the WWE to voice their opinions on Cena, the vast majority speak very highly of his professionalism, his personality, and even his much-maligned wrestling ability. Even those who believe themselves more worthy of his stardom (most notably CM Punk) usually concede that he deserves such massive success. This success is partially down to luck - that fact is indisputable. Originally a bodybuilding enthusiast with very little flair for wrestling, he broke into the company on the back of his impressive look and ultra-serious 'Prototype' character. Despite a hot start, he soon found himself languishing in a feud with Billy Kidman, of all people. However, his big break came when he featured in a comedic Halloween segment impersonating Vanilla Ice, leading to his rise under the obnoxious 'Doctor of Thuganomics' character. But luck can only get a wrestler so far. Cena's longevity and beloved status is down to a variety of other factors - factors which, when taken into account, make it harder to hate him than many WWE fans would like to admit.
