WWE Trades Ruthless Aggression For PG | Wrestling Timelines

April 7, 2013 | John Cena Beats The Rock

The Rock John Cena
WWE.com

In the main event of WrestleMania 29, John Cena defeats the Rock.

The match doesn’t feel as big as the original, which headlined WrestleMania 28 on April 1, 2012, but the result is symbolic. John Cena is the face of WWE, and, in defeating the Rock, is ostensibly presented as the greatest WWE Superstar of all-time. WWE will not explicitly market Cena under that nickname for several more years, but that is the overarching idea. The match is leaner than the first, and the result feels like a political foregone conclusion.

Fans are irked that ‘Once In A Lifetime’ means nothing, a feeling pronounced on a night where WWE promotes another 2012 rematch in Triple H Vs. Brock Lesnar. WrestleMania 29 is familiar and uninspiring, premised on stars getting their wins back. While it feels like nothing changes on the show that is often sold on the idea of an era-defining title switch, Cena winning is big. He has defeated the Rock, but of more significance is the idea that PG has defeated the Attitude Era, that the old WWE no longer exists.

John Cena is known to wrestling fans as ‘Super Cena’. You can’t escape him. He beats everybody. He is the face of the company, and acts on television like their biggest fan. He is, by careful design and a relentless mega-push, synonymous with WWE. This is pivotal to WWE’s public image because he is squeaky-clean, adored by children, and a genuine hero in regards to his relationship with the Make A Wish Foundation.

WWE is now stigmatised as a lame show for kiddies. This is fine by them.

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick (Creative Writing BA Hons) is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over a decade of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential UK 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 AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and 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!