9 Things You Learn Binge Watching Every WWE SmackDown From 2004
4. John Cena Was A Regular Highlight
At first glance, saying something generic like: 'John Cena Was A Regular Highlight' might seem redundant, but stick with it. Y'see, Cena wasn't quite the franchise player he'd go on to become in 2004. No, he was simply somebody who still felt relieved he still had a job after fearing the company trapdoors in 2002 and starting to breathe a little easier in 2003.
Cena won the United States Title from Big Show at ‘Mania XX, and instantly became a focal point on SmackDown. It'd be a lie to suggest that his feud with Rene Dupree was anything other than fairly routine, but his ‘Best Of 5’ series with Booker T later in the year provided plenty of entertainment and defo pulled the nose up. Plus, a shock title loss to Carlito on the 7 October ’04 SmackDown seemed to come out of nowhere.
The stabbing angle with Carlito's pal Jesus was a bit OTT, but JC had a strong year regardless.
It was obvious when binging that Cena was on course to become a poster boy in the promotion sooner rather than later. He visibly grew in confidence the longer 2004 went on. Of course, John moved to Raw in 2005 and became an even bigger deal. SmackDown needed him to pin down the upper midcard a year or so before that though. Without him, the blue roster would've been awfully thin.
This was a semi-'Stone Cold' age for Cena's 'Doctor Of Thuganomics' character too. He still had an edge to him, and fans lapped it up whenever he appeared on screen.