WrestleMania is almost upon us. Storylines that we've seen build for months stand to be resolved, and wrestlers we've watched fight for their spots throughout the last year will have the opportunity to make their careers. It's the culmination of everything that's been constructed since the last show of shows. It's also a beginning, though - just like every other year, the superstars of the WWE go straight back into their schedules without a break and those who've achieved glory at WrestleMania have to make it stick. It's a season premiere as much as a season finale. As such, WWE is already thinking about which superstars will be the focal points of their programming leading into the new season - earlier this week, Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported on a number of wrestlers who are in line for major pushes after the event. With wrestling at its hottest in years thanks to the launch of the WWE Network, these eight grapplers stand to break through in a big way.
8. John Cena
Like it or not (and I do), the champ is here to stay. Cena is the cornerstone of the WWE and he has been for nine years - longer than Steve Austin, The Rock, or a gentleman by the name of Hulk Hogan. It's not likely to change any time soon, nor should it - Cena moves ratings, merchandise, and ticket sales more than any other full-time WWE superstar. He is the company. But where can he go after WrestleMania XXX? A run at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship seems unlikely - he had his chance to win the belt at TLC and the Royal Rumble, and you've gotta figure if WWE really wanted him as champ now, he'd be in the title match at WrestleMania. Odds are, Cena will continue doing what he's doing right now - having great matches in marquee feuds and making money for the McMahon family. Hmmm... maybe a rematch with the next name on the list would be best for business...
Scott Fried is a Slammy Award-winning* writer living and working in New York City. He has been following/writing about professional wrestling for many years and is a graduate of Lance Storm's Storm Wrestling Academy. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/scottfried.
*Best Crowd of the Year, 2013
Like it or not (and I do), the champ is here to stay. Cena is the cornerstone of the WWE and he has been for nine years - longer than Steve Austin, The Rock, or a gentleman by the name of Hulk Hogan. It's not likely to change any time soon, nor should it - Cena moves ratings, merchandise, and ticket sales more than any other full-time WWE superstar. He is the company. But where can he go after WrestleMania XXX? A run at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship seems unlikely - he had his chance to win the belt at TLC and the Royal Rumble, and you've gotta figure if WWE really wanted him as champ now, he'd be in the title match at WrestleMania. Odds are, Cena will continue doing what he's doing right now - having great matches in marquee feuds and making money for the McMahon family. Hmmm... maybe a rematch with the next name on the list would be best for business...