Eps 21: WWE Was Great Until They Milked Cena's cash cow dry
— THE JOKE
The podcast discusses how WWE was a great entertainment company until they relied too heavily on John Cena as a cash cow. Hosts argue that WWE was at its peak in the late 90s and early 2000s when they had multiple superstars capable of carrying storylines. The hosts suggest that Cena lacks the charisma of previous stars and that WWE became over-reliant on him. They believe that this over-reliance on Cena has caused WWE to become less interesting and less entertaining. However, the hosts remain hopeful that WWE can find new stars and recover their lost glory.
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Host
Lucas Porter
Podcast Content
Cena burst onto the scene in 2002, quickly becoming a fan favorite. He had the looks, the charisma, and the in-ring skills to make him a star. But it wasn't until 2005 that Cena truly became the face of WWE, winning his first WWE Championship. From that point on, it seemed like Cena was everywhere. He headlined countless pay-per-views, was the centerpiece of every major storyline, and was constantly pushed as the company's top star.
At first, it was exciting to see Cena dominate the WWE landscape. It was refreshing to see a new face at the top of the mountain. But as the years went on, it became clear that Cena's dominance was here to stay. He held the WWE Championship a record-tying 16 times, main evented WrestleMania multiple times, and even branched out into Hollywood and various other ventures.
But what was once a breath of fresh air quickly became stale. Cena's "superman" booking, where he rarely lost matches and always came out on top, became predictable and boring. Fans started to turn on him, booing him mercilessly at every show. Instead of creating new stars, WWE continued to rely on Cena to carry the company.
This was most evident during the infamous "Cena Era," a period from roughly 2007 to 2013 where Cena was the undisputed focal point of WWE. The company's booking was centered around Cena, with every other superstar playing second fiddle. It was during this time that WWE truly milked Cena's cash cow dry, relying on his popularity to sell merchandise and tickets.
But this over-reliance on Cena came at a cost. Other talented wrestlers were overlooked and underserved, pushed to the sidelines so that Cena could take center stage. The likes of CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, and Bray Wyatt all struggled to break through the Cena barrier and become legitimate stars. Even Roman Reigns, who was tipped to be the company's next top guy, was held back so that Cena could remain in the spotlight.
To be clear, this isn't a knock on Cena's talent or charisma. He undoubtedly worked hard to get where he is and has brought joy to countless fans over the years. But WWE's insistence on relying solely on him, at the expense of other talent, has done more harm than good.
In recent years, WWE seems to have realized this. While Cena is still a major part of the company, he's no longer the only focus. Other superstars, such as Roman Reigns, Drew McIntyre, and The Fiend, have been given their chance to shine. This has breathed new life into WWE and made it exciting for fans once again.
In summary, WWE was great until they milked Cena's cash cow dry. His dominance as the company's top star was exciting at first, but quickly became boring and predictable. Other talented wrestlers were held back so that Cena could remain in the spotlight, which ultimately hurt the company in the long run. It was only when WWE started to move away from Cena-centric booking that they became great again. Here's hoping they continue to do so in the future.