These days, John Cena is depicted as the elder statesman of WWE programming. Having been one of the promotion's top stars for well over a decade, it seems the company now believe the time is right for Cena to step out of the main event spotlight briefly, giving others room to breathe in the top spots. Cena has become a wrestler who doesn't really need a gimmick as such, he pretty much plays himself on television. Of course, that wasn't always the case, many longtime fans will remember the rapping nuances of Cena's first major character shift in WWE, but before even that the guy was playing an altogether more wacky role. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIAKnGujUVM On the independent scene, as well as in Ohio Valley Wrestling, then the WWF's developmental league, Cena was '50% man, 50% machine'. Known as The Prototype, the idea was that John was genetically superior to pretty much every one of his opponents, something backed up by his cold, heartless mindset and part-metal frame. It was pretty out there, but it did allow Cena to develop the art of the wrestling promo, and younger fans will get a kick out of seeing John Cena as they perhaps never have before.
