10 Biggest Improvements WWE Have Made In 2016
5. John Cena's Graceful Decline
John Cena is no longer the most divisive man in professional wrestling. As WWE’s franchise player and a seemingly unbreakable main event roadblock, he’d built his success on the bodies of others. Wade Barrett, Bray Wyatt, and countless others had been sacrificed at the altar of Super Cena, and after 11 years at the top of the table, it seemed like Big Match John was never going away.
Everything changed in 2016, however. Roman Reigns has inherited his position as the most hated babyface in WWE, and his reduced schedule has prevented overexposure. Clean losses to AJ Styles and Dean Ambrose prove that his role has diminished, and that he’ll likely be used primarily as a Lesnar-esque special attraction for the remainder of his career. Cena’s time in pro-wrestling is slowly winding down, and it’s to everyone’s benefit.
For Cena, it’s a chance to transition to new forms of entertainment, and ease the physical toll on his ageing body. For the fans, it’s an opportunity to actually enjoy the man’s work again. For all the misgivings surrounding his booking, Cena is a world-class big match performer, and he always delivers when the chips are down. No longer shoved down our throats, it’s far easier to appreciate what Cena brings to the business, and even if he does break Ric Flair’s World Title record, few will have much reason to complain.