10 Times Vince McMahon Cut Off His Nose To Spite His Face

4. The Cena Standstill

Vince McMahon
wwe.com

John Cena is a paradox - he both sustains business with his stellar merchandise sales, and inhibits growth with his tiresome ubiquitousness and inability to lose cleanly.

Vince McMahon has in his power the opportunity to shake the wrestling world off its axis by turning Cena heel. In doing so, he would create a buzz far bigger than even the end of the streak. And, unlike that earth-shattering moment in New Orleans, WWE could actually capitalise on it by crafting a new, ruthless, and egotistical version of the Cena character, one which could easily be slotted into years' worth of fresh storylines. But, in his steadfast quest to preserve the status quo, Vince has so far resisted any temptation to do so.

In truth, Cena's overexposure has become less bothersome over the last year or two. Kept largely separate from the WWE title, Cena in his sentient glass ceiling gimmick has delivered some of the better matches of his career.

That being said, a disturbing pattern has emerged in that same period - the Three Match Cena Arc, which sees him lose the first match of a trilogy through treacherous means, before rising above hardcore fan favourites to take home the rematch and the rubber. This, depending on the outcome of his feud with Styles, may strip away the fan support garnered through his acclaimed U.S. title run.

It isn't just the turn in itself many fans are crying out for - it's the rabid sense of unpredictability it would deliver.

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!