In what may have been one of the brief instances where WWE veteran John Cena decided to express visible frustration, the report claimed that Cena was evidently livid at the reappearance of a major WWE performer-reintroduced upon Vince McMahon himself, despite Cena himself having been considered in long-standing terms the cornerstone of the company.
Backstage tension in 2016
Focusing on the recounting of the sudden appearance of Goldberg in 2016, the occurrence could be seen as the power play shock. At the same time that Cena was the top paid star in WWE, with an eye popping current $9.5 million contract, he did not like the rumor that Goldberg was being paid even greater amounts, per appearance.
The response of Cena was not just a bit of ego. The decision, to him, carried the judgment that years of servitude and leadership would be discounted or, even, belittled. This was the face of a generation in WWE and he was taking a backseat, however non-official, to some degree.
It was a tune to home audiences and an elixir to TV ratings and Goldberg smartly returned. But to Cena it was a reminder of the more extensive forces at play Vince McMahon and his erratic booking, and as a reminder even a franchise performer was still the plaything of the creative regime.
But this is not so very simple after all. Anger was not really a simple instance of jealousy amongst Cenas, but it was based on the sense of respect and value. He knew how to conduct business in wrestling but felt that the business owed him in turn. The back to back of Goldberg rekindled the spirit of justice or rather injustice in Cena.
Business decisions and Human costs
This scene is symbolic of the sort of stresses which go on behind the scenes: superstars who have paid their dues, but still must negotiate tricky relationships with those in charge. The platform and star power coupled with his numerous championship escapades had made Cena influential, but then again he was human enough to feel disregarded when another superstar returned to the fold.
And, really, this situation did not give rise to hatred of goldberg. It showed the two sides of the industry: the spectacle and hierarchy of the industry, the performance and the policy.
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