10 WWE Wrestlers Who Get Way Too Much Criticism

1. John Cena

john cena 2006
WWE.com

John Cena is a modern day Hulk Hogan. They’re both genuinely iconic and immensely successful pro wrestlers who anchored WWE for years, and helped define their respective eras. They’re also two of the most widely criticised wrestlers in the sport’s history, and two guys whose names are always brought up when discussing burials, staleness, and limited move-sets.

The difference is in the details. While John is no stranger to playing politician himself (ask Kenny Dykstra), Hogan is the most notorious string-puller in wrestling history. From the Yokozuna/Bret Hart debacle at WrestleMania IX to his role in WCW’s downfall, Hogan has engineered himself into countless situations that benefited nobody but himself, and for that, most of his criticism is warranted.

Cena’s, however, is not. Yes, his act became incredibly stale, and yes, he greatly overstayed his welcome in the title scene, but he’s one of the hardest workers in the business. He is a world-class performer in every sense, a true credit to the industry, and a man whose recent track record trumps every criticism to ever be levied against him.

He was green when he started, but Cena has developed into one of the world’s finest big match performers. The “five moves of doom” argument has become completely irrelevant, and his career is littered with world class matches. Even his most ardent critics will struggle to justify such an argument in 2016, particularly with Cena still outclassing most of WWE's roster in the ring.

It would’ve been nice if he’d shared the spotlight more over the years, but such criticisms should be thrown at the office, not Cena himself. He has been WWE’s franchise player for over a decade, and the business will suffer greatly when he leaves.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.