I have heard some guys say we are downplaying Cena because we didn't grow up on him. So I ask the teenagers if they consider Cena a top 5 GOAT. Meaning, is he in the same level as Flair, Hogan, Austin and Rock? Is he above the likes of HBK, Taker, Bret, Triple H, etc.?
Personally I think he is talented but his character has been detrimental to wrestling than anything else. So I wouldn't put him even in my top 10 GOATs of modern day wrestling.
Edit: People above 20, please do not vote even if you hate him.
I think he's probably top 15, but i wouldn't put him in the top 5 personally. For me personally, the likes of Taker, Austin, Rock, Angle, Michaels were all superior.
Not even top 15 for me, he doesn't impress me in the ring. But he can be great/entertaining on the mic. And I can't discredit him, he has accomplished a lot & he was the face of WWE for many years.
It depends on what area. He's the perfect modern superstar according to WWE standards but I'm not a huge fan.
After his US feud with JBL it went downwards for me until his last US Championship reign. I think he's fantastic
on the mic and knows how to work crowds, despite the content, but that's about it. Would I want him in my
company? Hell yeah. Am I a fan? Hell no. If he had a heel turn or some character development to see how he'd
adapt I'd might reconsider. I'm voting 'no'.
He lost viewers during his time at the top which was a decade. And he makes no difference in TV views/ppv buys with his presence, the ppvs that did not have him in them did just as well as the ones that he was in. HE sold merch, but he should be selling merch given that he was the top pushed guy for a decade, it's what's supposed to happen. Sorry marks.
On a sidenote, why do people include ric flair in these lists? I'm assuming this is meant to post 1985(wrestlemania era) WWF list?
Ric flair is more of a wrestling/WCW/NWA GOATs rather than what this thread is asking for. Otherwise you might as well include guys like Sting in what seems to be your tier 2 there.
Putting Flair next to Hogan, Austin, Rock seems weird to me as he looks the odd one out in there.
I am referring to American wrestling post 1980 not any promotion in particular. Sure, Sting belongs in Tier 2 so do Macho man, Angle, etc and that is why I put etc.
I don't consider him top 20 of all time. If anything, these online listings should be called the top 5 of the past 20 years. These lists always forgets the Nick Bockwinkle's, Vern Gagne's, Harley Races, Stan Hansen's, the Funks, Jerry Lawlers, Bruno's, and Nature Boy Buddy Roger's of wrestling's past.
Yes. Top 5 for sure. Counting match quality. Mic work. Character and drawing ability as well as impact on the biz hell ya top 5. He's the wwe GOAT. And I'm 28.
I'm in my 20s, grew up on the Ruthless Aggression era so your math sucks. Yeah Cena deserves top 5. Nothing more to be said, his career speaks for itself
Well I'm 21 about to turn 22 so I guess I grew up on Cena. Started watching wrestling in 03 and Cena instantly became one of my favorites. As I grew older in the late 2000s and got into other types of wrestling mainly roh and new japan I gravitated more towards guys like styles,nakamura,devitt,low ki etc etc
But if we are talking about modern wrestling meaning post wrestlemania era I would put Cena in the top 7 or so based only on drawing power. Cena is a guy everybody knows and is synanomous with wwe at this point. When I was a kid people would say oh wrestling? You mean like hulk hogan wrestling?
10 years from now people will go oh wrestling? You mean like John Cena wrestling? Just look on his facebook likes its incredible.
Hogan, Macho Man, The Ultimate Warrior, Piper, Flair, Bret Hart, Taker, HBK, Stone Cold, The Rock, Kurt Angle, Triple H, Mankind... were bigger star than him IMO
Then again the era was not the same at this time...
Not for me if I had to make a list he would be #10.
1. Hulk Hogan
2. The Rock
3. Stone Cold Steve Austin
4. Macho Man Randy Savage
5. Rowdy Roddy Piper
6. Andre the Giant
7. The Undertaker
8. The Ultimate Warrior
9. Batista
10. John Cena
They say even if fans dislike the product, they'll keep watching.
Well I left for 10 years partly because of the main event talent. I just didn't care about him at all back then.
Now I care about him only to the extent that he's got 10+ years of superman booking behind his name, so the booking of his matches will be interesting for that reason. I didn't vote, but he's not in my top 15.
He's good at a few things, but not really great at anything. I could name a dozen guys in WWE alone who are more talented. And his FOTC run doesn't impress me.
I'm close to 20 (36) so I voted no. Well because he's not. He's somewhere in the top 500. Now what the exact spot is, is up for debate. I can tell you that it is not number 5 or higher.
He is only top 5 in a kayfabe sense. But based on classic and memorabe matches/feuds he is not even top 10. Rock,Austin,Taker,Flair, HBK, and Hogan have had way more classic and memorable moments. Cena is one of the all-time worse when it comes to selling and telling a convincing story which is why 90% of his feuds fall flat. He has had about 500 main event feuds and only two I can say was memorable. Punk and Edge.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Wrestling Forum
23.4M posts
266.5K members
Since 2002
A forum community dedicated to all Wrestling enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about WWE, AEW, Ring of Honor, Impact and all forms of professional and amateur wrestling.