[Wynter]

I did this on reddit but figured I'd get better discussion here:

At the moment, Roman is paying for the sins of ten plus years we have dealt with Cena. Many people are already criticizing a ten year Roman run as if it's a common thing in wrestling. Guys like Cena and Hogan are the exception, not the rule. You gotta be a special kind of talent to stay on top that long.

Right now, Vince wants Cena lite. No matter who he pushes, they will be molded after the model. Vince has a vision for his top faces and you'd be hard pressed to get that old man to change without him fighting tooth and nail.

It's why Dean is so goofy. Why New Day started off as those terrible ass happy go lucky faces. Vince is stuck in the 80s and will want to continue his ideal view on what top faces should be.

Dean said some crap like he was going replace Cole with a fish tank. What kind of goofy shit is that?? I get he's crazy, but some of the lines he has outside of fallout promos is questionable at times. We all know Dean can speak on the mic, but McMahon would rather ebooboom him to stuff like wrestle dummies because he thinks it's hilarious.

And poor Sheamus was an ass kicker but became such a boring and way too goofy for his look and build when he turned. And he stayed that way for way too long because he did sell a decent amount of merchandise.

I don't think anyone's favorite will be safe from that type of push if they became the number one guy unfortunately.

Look how much it took for Vince to even let Roman do such a beat down at TLC. Dude is adamant in this super face formula. He loves the Superman prototype and thinks they all have to save the day from the big bad guys. When Cena reaffirmed his ideals by being successful, he felt that was the formula for success.

What do you guys think? Would every guy Vince tries to push as number one end up the super face, cheesy, wish granting guy of the company just because it worked with Cena?

I know guys like Punk had an edge to them, but he was never picked as the guy. So he didn't have to uphold that image.

 

[anirioc]

so are you telling me every now that every new top overpushed guy will be a Cena´s clone? Were Randy Orton and Sheamus Cena´s clones?

 

[The Renegade]

No, I completely believe that they would. That's kinda what happened with Ambrose when he was booked as a top face last fall. Vince softening up on his insistence that Roman fit that Cena mold is a wayyy bigger deal than people are giving it credit for. Even if you still have Roman at the top of the card booked strongly, the idea that they are willing to bend towards the type of character fans want to see, even at the highest level on the card, should trickle down to the rest of the performers on the roster as well. Sort of an ultimate compromise.

 

[CHIcagoMade]

Whether people want to admit it or not, it's a formula that works. It illicits a reaction (Cena, Hogan) and it makes money. Why wouldn't he stick to it?

 

[Wynter]

so are you telling me every now that every new top overpushed guy will be a Cena´s clone? Were Randy Orton and Sheamus Cena´s clones?

Randy wasn't the guy once Cena became Vince pet project. And Randy was getting pushed during a time where Ruthless Aggression was still a thing. Even Cena started off not pg. And just like Roman, Sheamus may have started off bad ass- albeit Roman was in a group- they slowly got turned into cheesier faces.

At this point, Randy does what he wants lol He prefers to be a heel and I think that's why he always feel more like a tweener.

 

[PraXitude]

Yes.

Vince only cares about money. He wants a #1 that will sell tons of merch so that his kiddie fans whine until their parents fork over their hard-earned money for "superman's" t-shirts.

 

[SolarPowerBat]

I just dont get why they think the product needs a "new cena" when they should be creating something fresh and unique that captivates a new audience and the old alike.

 

[RapShepard]

I think it has some merit that Vince wants a certain type of face. But at the end of the day I think it's more so just the nature of the business that 98/100 you will resemble some star of the past and it only gets amplified if you're top face/heel.

Almost everyone has shades or vibes of previous stars its just as hardcore fans we are more aware and sometimes more annoyed by it. Not to mention more apt to reach for a comparison. Having a good W/L and telling far less jokes doesn't make Reigns Cena 2.0, (though both being overly smiley is annoying) imo. and I don't think the average fan sees Reigns and thinks Cena 2.0.

 

[Godway]

Cena didn't wind up as douche bag stooge John Cena because Vince is stuck in the 80s. He ended up that way because the company went PG, and it's publicly traded, so they had to find a face to slap on their lunchboxes for kids. Cena is a tremendous talent, though, he's five times the performer Roman Reigns is. Vince didn't need to make Reigns lame, Reigns just is lame, and there's only so much you can do with such a one dimensional talent.

I agree though, that the days of forcing every top guy to be Mr Public Image need to end. It's a big reason why nobody fucking wants the job. They're put in a really tough position where they have to work 5 days a week, and when they're not working they still have to be doing charity work and what not so WWE can take credit for it. When a guy used to be the top guy, he was just the man. He wasn't the "face of the company". That's the way it needs to be. A 'face of the company' by all means should get booed, because they're representing everything the audience hates.

 

[A-C-P]

Of course whomever they push there, Vince is going to try to make them Cena 2.0. But that is exactly why I have been/continue to be so against Reigns in that position, he is awful at being Cena-lite and it is totally the wrong character for him. Reigns can be great, but if he is going to be stuck being Cena 2.0 or Cena-lite he is always just going to seem like a cheap "knock-off" to me b/c John Cena, the man >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> at playing the Cena character than Reigns will ever be.

 

[Drago]

Whether people want to admit it or not, it's a formula that works. It illicits a reaction (Cena, Hogan) and it makes money. Why wouldn't he stick to it?

Yeah, you're right. Formula works and at the same time is damaging your product. No doubt Vince is gonna stick to it, no matter what the cost.

 

[Chief of the Lynch Mob]

I agree.

Whoever the top guy is, Vince will want them to be the cheesy, corny, PG face. It's sad. I'm a believer in the idea that WWE could make nearly anyone on the roster the top guy if they wanted to put the effort in with them, but they'd all be made into a Cena clone regardless of who they are or what they look like. Look at Reigns, he looks like a badass, he can carry himself like a badass, but instead they want him to be a guy cracking terrible jokes and using childish, immature insults against his opponents.

 

[ste1592]

I agree.

Whoever the top guy is, Vince will want them to be the cheesy, corny, PG face. It's sad. I'm a believer in the idea that WWE could make nearly anyone on the roster the top guy if they wanted to put the effort in with them, but they'd all be made into a Cena clone regardless of who they are or what they look like. Look at Reigns, he looks like a badass, he can carry himself like a badass, but instead they want him to be a guy cracking terrible jokes and using childish, immature insults against his opponents.

And you rightfully are a believer, because that's exactly what happened on Monday.

 

[AT&T Stadium]

Of course whomever they push there, Vince is going to try to make them Cena 2.0. But that is exactly why I have been/continue to be so against Reigns in that position, he is awful at being Cena-lite and it is totally the wrong character for him.

This. Bryan was going to be "the guy" and he was going to turn into Cena-lite. The difference between Cena, Reigns, and Bryan is that Bryan is actually an underdog who can coin the phrase "never give up".

 

[Coyotex]

Vince has shown he isn't willing to take risks anymore and would rather stick with the same formula over and over

once Vince locks his horns on the next babyface of the company you can expect them to be very Cena like