8 Bad In-Ring Habits That John Cena Needs To Change

8. Adjusting Himself Before Kicking Out

The art of the perfectly-timed kickout is an oft-underestimated one. As much as it seems inconsequential on paper, the difference between a two-count and a two-and-a-half-count can hugely affect both the live crowd and the audience watching at home. Fans often pride themselves at being able to predict the outcome of a match, but that rational part of their brain, which tries to be mindful of logical booking, can be completely overwritten with a really good false finish, and that's all to do with the kickout. When a superstar has the nerve to wait until the last possible moment to raise his shoulder, the crowd leans in just that little bit more, creating a tenser, more engaging match. Just watch Brock Lesnar's kickout during his match with Reigns at Wrestlemania (kickout comes at 14.45) to see what a difference a half-second makes. John Cena is unfortunately quite bad at kickouts, which is a huge shame because he often features in some otherwise very exciting matches, which would be made truly great with some proper false finishes. He has the bad habit of adjusting himself just before the kickout. He will either shift his weight, or move his hand to his side so as to get leverage for a more dynamic break. This has the unfortunate effect of telegraphing that he's about to kick out of a pinfall. Its a tiny detail, but your brain notices these things and it makes you slightly less engaged with the match. And on the subject of Cena's kickouts...