10 Expectations Vs. Reality For WWE SummerSlam 2021

2. Will John Cena Acknowledge Roman Reigns?

Bobby Lashley Bill Goldberg WWE Champion SummerSlam 2021
WWE.com

Expectation:

John Cena is defeated by Roman Reigns at SummerSlam and acknowledges the Head of the Table as the Tribal Chief or whichever way 'round it is.

This won't prove anything, really. John Cena has buried Roman Reigns for being a "lifeless disappointment" that has failed to salvage WWE's faltering reputation. This is a real story, incredibly. WWE is bad in WWE canon. Of course the wrestling media is going to reflect that! They're telling us to!

It's all designed for "realism" and can-he-say-that shock value. Roman Reigns doesn't become a Cena-level house show draw and ratings popper by defeating him in a predetermined match. The storyline is rubbish if you think about it for more than one second.

But it's the sensible result. It's the only logical result, given Cena's part-time status.

But remember WrestleMania XXVIII?

Reality:

John Cena on last week's SmackDown claimed that all he had to do to defeat Roman Reigns was to pin him in 1, 2, 3...

He kept saying it.

1, 2, 3...

1, 2, 3...

Was this just some hollow call-and-response bullsh*t, or was he conditioning the WWE Universe TM what to expect this coming Saturday?

Is...is John Cena going to win sudden shock via roll-up to set up a second match at WrestleMania 38?

This is the reality. If you're cynical.

If you're not...

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!