THIS Is The Greatest Thing WWE Never Did
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.
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