THIS Is The Greatest Thing WWE Never Did

John Cena 2019
WWE.com

The explosive, destructive jaw-dropper of a hoss fight with Batista; the dramatic escapology of a desperate, cunning, Edge; the seminal tetralogy opposite Shawn Michaels and Triple H and its superb exploration of 'Taker's mortality; the return to the classic babyface versus heel layout worked with an exceptional amount of personality versus CM Punk: all were MOTY contenders, but certainly, definitively were the biggest matches of the year.

They weren't matches, they were attractions - but they were also outstanding pro wrestling matches. The annual event deepened in prestige year on year, and distilled that which pro wrestling as a medium is capable.

And one man should have threatened to ruin it.

The perception of John Cena has naturally softened over time. Though not not earned, the virtually unanimous positive reactions he generates as a part-timer are as ironic as they are shocking: Cena and part-timers were the two most reviled non-canon heels of the 2010s.

Cena entered the best performances of his career very deep into it. In 2012, he hadn't yet embraced the banger. The CM Punk series was an outlier in a career of selective excellence caveated by opponent (Edge, Shawn Michaels) and stipulation (Last Man Standing). Cena is spoken of as a great in some circles, but greats have the ability to hoist the good to their level.

CONT'D...(2 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 surefire Undisputed WWE Universal 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!