7 Ups And 7 Downs From WWE Payback 2015

By Scott Carlson /

3. Rusev And Cena Give Fair Warning

Rusev and John Cena were not reserved in repeatedly having referee Mike Chioda ask the other if he quit. In fact, they sometimes wanted their opponent asked multiple times in a matter of seconds. But one of the better uses of the question came before several big moves. Rusev started the trend, asking Cena if he quit, or else he would get whipped into the steel steps set up inside the ring. Cena pulled the same stunt before crashing Rusev through the timekeeper€™s barricade and again before bashing the Bulgarian Brute with a metal barricade.The pre-emptive request was a cool wrinkle to the typical €œonly ask if your opponent quits after every big move.€ By asking before a big, painful move, Cena and Rusev left it that their opponent only had himself to blame if he took the punishment. It also made the wrestler think about the pain that was coming if they answered, €œno.€ That, in some ways, is better than simply beating them to a pulp €“ make them think about the beating that€™s coming.