Let’s start by saying that there’s nothing wrong with anyone seeing an opportunity and going for it, but in the case of the WWE, it’s fair to say that a wrestler that heads off to Hollywood and then makes minor appearances on the show that made them famous isn’t the worst thing in the world. It’s the attitude that they’re the most important person there when their attendance has dropped that irks a lot of people. The best example of this to date is Dwayne Johnson, who electrified the fans as The Rock in the WWF and continued to do so when it became the WWE. The thing about Johnson is that when he was on stage there was no doubt that he had an ego, it was his character and who he was paid to be. But when he left for Hollywood it was widely accepted that he was attempting to do something different and that his days of wrestling were slowly but surely coming to a close.
Here’s where rumors about Johnson and Cena differ though. When The Rock came back now and again to the WWE he was met with furious applause whenever his music hit. He strode onto the scene to the cheers of the people, and he stuck around long enough to give the people a show, and even helped promote other wrestlers while he was there. The feud that began between Cena and Johnson was mostly fictionalized, but it sparked something in the fans that spoke of a true measure of disrespect toward Johnson, who took a break to develop his movie career rather than let it mix with his wrestling. Cena hammered Johnson on the mic, and despite knowing that a lot of wrestling is faked, including the dialogue, fans kind of took this the wrong way.
It’s ironic now that Cena has been doing the same thing that he would be defending himself, but what the fans need to realize is that much like Johnson did about a decade ago, Cena is slowly but surely making his way out. He’s professed that he would like to come back to the ring when and if needed, but otherwise he’s focusing on his movie career at the moment, which is taking off in a big way. From his stint as the main bad guy in the next Fast and Furious movie to his role as Peacemaker in the upcoming Suicide Squad movie and TV series, Cena is a busy man without a doubt. Other wrestlers have gone the Hollywood route as well, or have tried, since The Miz, The Big Show, John Morrison, and several others have appeared in various TV shows and movies over the years.
Dave Bautista has actually stated that he’s done with wrestling since his acting career is now taking off, with Army of the Dead being one of his most recent hits. There is a concern that if he does come back, is going to keep grabbing the spotlight and not allowing it to rest on the younger, upcoming talent that is there. This would after all kind of make him look like a hypocrite after all he was saying during the ‘feud’ he had with Johnson, since coming back when he had the chance to take the attention and accolades while the other wrestlers have to scratch and scrape for every bit of respect is what he stood against years ago. Cena has professed that he’s not about taking the spotlight from anyone, but people do have their doubts.
At this point in time, it does feel as though Cena should think about focusing on his movie career while he’s still relatively young enough to enjoy it since he has a lot of prospects when it comes to the big screen, and now the small screen. Much like Johnson and Bautista, his acting has come a long way since he first started, and it’s fair to say that he’s improved exponentially since his time in The Marine. If he does come back to the ring it’s likely that it will be for a special occasion, since one of the things that have been kind of detrimental to the WWE over the years is the fact that several wrestlers have kept coming back when they’re past their prime and should be out doing something else, such as enjoying life or making money in another manner. There are a lot of reasons that old wrestlers keep coming back, but the fact is that it eventually becomes a little troubling simply because they’re no longer as entertaining as they used to be, and at some point, they need to step aside to let the up and coming wrestlers have their day. The time is coming when Cena’s decision to come back to the ring will be a moot point, but it would be nice to see him still associate with the company.
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