Explained: THAT Firefly Fun House Match From WrestleMania 36

John Cena Thuganomics
WWE.com

Wyatt conflated the two as men with large muscles but little actual talent. Cena was the next Hogan; a mere, fetishised instrument of Vince's will. Backed by a fantastically '80s track, Cena worked out his arms until they became numb. Vince was apoplectic that this machine he had built had somehow faltered, like human beings do, in a quite incredible satirical dig.

There was such a fantastic, off-kilter vibe to the presentation, a weird dream logic that saw ostensible rivals Wyatt and Cena rocking out in tandem, Ramblin' Rabbit play air keyboard to Cena's theme, Abby the Witch mouth agape at Cena's muscles. The dream transitioned into Cena's life as the Doctor of Thuganomics, except the tone took on a nightmarish, feverish quality. The old material that got him over did not land. Shockingly, Wyatt in a rap battle scene shook his head - you could almost see the yikes in his eyes - as Cena dropped a reminder of his old, virulent homophobia.

"You're not a hero, John," Wyatt said. "You're a bully. You're a horrible person. You take the weaknesses of others and you turn them into jokes...you'd do anything for fame, John."

Wyatt then punched Cena back into 2014, the year in which he ridiculed Bray Wyatt into the core of the earth, and detonated the big bang of an alternate universe in which John Cena did turn heel, using the pointed symbolism of Hollywood Hulk Hogan once more to illustrate it.

CONT'D...(3 of 5)

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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!