PWTorch Specialist Roundtable

(Question A) Do you think the edgier/non-PG John Cena character is the direction WWE should go with Cena leading up to WM28 and beyond The Rock feud?

(Question B) Do you think Cena "winning" the Raw promo exchanges is straight forward with Cena simply beating Rock on the mic or is it part of a master plan for Rock to lower himself and "sell" for Cena?

***

Jon Cudo, PWTorch specialist

(A) As Cena shows a more edgy side, WWE is potentially cashing in on the long paved road of being PG. The Attitude Era worked since it contrasted so strongly with the previous WWF product. After protecting the product and being more kid-friendly for years, an occasional and well-placed Cena penis joke or harsh language makes this feud seem special, much like the once-a-year chair shot is shocking and exponentially more effective than the weekly metallic smack. My hunch is this is a rare occurrence, not a trend. If so, it's effective and the right place to cash in the equity they have built up in the recent PG era.

(B) Right now, it sure appears John Cena is just beating Rock at his own game. Rock is big enough to sell for Cena, but this isn't the ass I would expect him to show if he wanted to have some give and take with John Cena. (Read Cudo's True - False - TBD column every week.)

Shawn Valentino, PWTorch specialist

I do not think this "edgier/non-PG" Cena is the direction WWE should go because I just do not see an edgy John Cena on my television. I am seeing a clearly inferior talent in every aspect resorting to cheap tricks and taking fans out of the context of the show to attempt to win over the crowd. It is true that he has nothing in his favor so he has nothing to lose, but this program was a chance for him to showcase something different and improve his image as a dorky corporate tool that alienates any reasonably cool person over the age of 12.

What has he done that has been edgy? He has gone off script in a way that is detrimental to the feud and the product. That goofy expression on his face ruined the final segment on yesterday's Raw. It looked like he lost his train of thought and needed a director to yell "cut" while he recomposed himself. I am not sure if the notes on the arm thing was planned, but who cares? It is still a cheap tactic of a guy who has nowhere near the charisma, magnetism, star power, or talent as his opponent.

And, what direction can they take this character after Mania? Is he going to make fun of the writers for scripting promos for other wrestlers? What about this Cena character has been any less dweeby than his usual goofball tired act? The only good thing that can come out of this is Cena resorting to cheating and embracing a dark side to turn heel, and he has such a low wrestling intelligence and such a bad grasp on his character that I am not sure he could even play that well.

To me, Cena is not even close to winning the promo exchanges with The Rock. Again, he has pulled some cheap tricks out and won some of the crowd that is too unsophisticated to understand, but I still feel that Rock is blowing Cena away in the midst of a completely unprofessional environment. He is simply way above any type of insecure banter about Vince McMahon's abandonment issues.

Last night, his Rock Revolution promos were spectacular and showed why he is the most charismatic star in the history of the industry. Cena has appeared like that dorky kid who gets picked on desperately trying to be cool by pulling cheap shots to be popular. The best promo he has done was the serious empty arena proclamation that this match means everything to him. Unfortunately, his lame in-ring appearances where he is making bad jokes and walking around with a goofy smile on his face totally contradicts the importance of the match and is making the entire product look like a joke. (Read Valentino's regular Magic, Memories, and Mania column during WM season.)

Mike Cupach, PWTorch Smackdown specialist

(A) I don’t think Cena has been edgy, in my opinion. As far as I can tell Cena is walking the line between PG and TV-14 the last few weeks, but I wouldn’t call it edgy. I think Cena should stay the course he is on with his promos and personality. Heck, even keep the alpha-male deep voice that he is putting on whenever The Rock is around – it’s all good!

To me, The Rock is the one who has come back and can't adapt to the TV-PG rating that WWE claims to have. It is up to Cena to be the face of the company and the face of the PG era to stick to the PG guidelines and beat Rock without having to use the Attitude Era tricks that Rock has been using.

(B) I completely believe that John Cena is flat-out crushing Rock in promos. The scenario I play in my head is that Cena has been waiting for these promos for a year and has been practicing in his head and running through the potential scenarios in his head and figuring out how to best The Great One. The Rock, on the other hand, I see as thinking he can rely on instinct to take him through these promos and do what he did best 10-12 years ago.

I don’t think Rocky expected Cena to be above and beyond his level. After two weeks of what I see as Cena smashing in Rock's face, Rock will come back with something strong in the near future. Next week on Raw, they are advertising a “Rock concert” and a rap-off from Cena and I expect Rock to make his move there. But, if Rock loses there, Rock is not coming back to beat Cena on the microphone. (Read Cupach's weekly Alt. Perspective Smackdown review.)

Matt Baxendell, PWTorch TNA specialist

(A) The Cena from last night was the first time I have been entertained and not frustrated by him in what seems like a decade. Truth is, I had forgotten that he could be that good.

My personal belief is that WWE has been planning a Rock-Cena trilogy through Mania 29 with Rock's victory in this first match FINALLY causing the Cena heel turn many people have been waiting years to see. I sincerely hope that this isn't just "Wrestlemania Season" before returning to another year of poopy jokes and the five moves of doom to split audiences.

(B) I believe Rock is intentionally lowering himself in-person enough to give Cena a fighting verbal chance, while Cena adding an edge also elevates his=m far beyond his usual boring schtick. This happens for one reason: WWE wants as many Cena backers as possible to believe in him leading to the match and creating some major murkiness in who the favorite should be to win.

Check Back for Part 2 on Wednesday!

We suggest these recent related articles...

10/5 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Natalya vs. Paige, Owens vs. Cara, Stephanie McMahon, Sasha Banks, Xavier Woods

COLLECTIBLES COLUMN: The History of Foam Hands in Pro Wrestling

9/28 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Kane's Split Personality, Divas Revolution, Heyman & Big Show, Reigns vs. Wyatt