Is WWE Sacrificing Talent for Short-Term Storylines? John Cena Weighs In.

It’s been a long-standing complaint from a section of fans that John Cena never put anyone over and always won. Some even went so far as to claim that the wrestler seemingly went out of his way to bury new talent. In a recent appearance on Busted Open Radio, Cena addressed the allegations that plagued him during his time in the WWE. He spoke about the label that he was responsible for burying other wrestlers and gave an insight into his thought process behind his role in the business.

Cena explained that he always invests himself wholly in his parts and his heart is on the plate. He would sit with up-and-coming talent for hours, sometimes ten hours, to talk about their stories and help curate their characters. He cited Kevin Owens as one of the wrestlers he had sat down with and trained on how to be better, and he has also lost to CM Punk, AJ Styles, and Daniel Bryan got memorable losses to elevate their careers.

While there may have been questionable booking decisions during Cena’s time in the WWE, it does not necessarily mean that he was the one in charge of his character. Vince McMahon was responsible for booking, including placing Cena on top and elevating him above others. McMahon’s preference for John Cena at critical moments in the business often came at the expense of other talents, such as during the SummerSlam 2010 seven-on-seven elimination tag match.

One of the advantages of Triple H leading WWE Creative is the increased input wrestlers have on their storylines and promos. According to Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp, several wrestlers have been given more flexibility with their promos recently. This move is restoring the much-needed autonomy to wrestlers. It is vital for wrestlers to have a sense of ownership for their characters, so they can more genuinely connect with their fans.

In a post-draft update of the WWE’s tag-team division depth chart, it was revealed that Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are the top male babyface duo on Raw, followed by New Day, Alpha Academy, and Braun Strowman and Ricochet. Judgment Day, Imperium, The Viking Raiders, Maximum Male Models, Los Lotharios, and Indus Sher are leading the heel groups on the red brand. On SmackDown, top babyface teams are the Brawling Brutes, Latino World Order, Street Profits, and The O.C. while the top heel teams are the Usos, Pretty Deadly, and Hit Row.

Owens and Zayn are the undisputed tag champs, positioned as one of the top acts on Raw. But with their next opponents being Reigns and Solo Sikoa at Night of Champions, there is some uncertainty about their future. While Sikoa taking the fall for Owens and Zayn might allow them to retain, WWE is hesitant about Roman losing. The Usos could become involved in the match, which could eventually lead to them becoming babyfaces.

In conclusion, the WWE‘s increased focus on shorter-term storylines and a stronger emphasis on character development and autonomy is a huge incentive to keep fans interested. Wrestlers’ promos need to feel authentic and reflect their characters’ said storyline to make the fans care about their storylines. It is particularly heartening to see new talent like Owens and Zayn rising to become some of the top acts in WWE. With Triple H involved in WWE Creative, it seems as though this is only going to improve.