The final run of John Cena in WWE can be full of emotions and history, but it does not lack controversy. The allegations have reared their head in the past as one of the former wrestling stars pointed to the backstage influence of the WWE legend.
John Cena and the Divide Among WWE Fans
Cena is never a popular figure in WWE. Ever since his main event rise in 2005, his audiences have divided, with some seeing his message of hustle, loyalty and respect, and others seeing it as forced and inauthentic.
Cena was shown as the invincible hero at his finest. Week after week, he beat up-and-coming stars, and left fans to wonder why younger talent could not get through. The most discussed was the SummerSlam 2010 where Cena was able to defeat the Nexus despite the storyline being heavily in favor of the new group.
Accusations of Politics in WWE
Cena has generally disclaimed acting in his own interest but former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Jake Hager, aka Jack Swagger, has made the claim. Hager claimed that Cena manipulated matches with his political power to Cena.
“Oh yeah, he absolutely refused to do it (lose to Swagger). I was told that was what happened. Because the original plan was I was gonna beat him Monday night on Raw and not do the tease. But I’m a young guy. I’ve been there for a cup of coffee, so what are you gonna do? But I’m not the only guy he’s done that to. He did that throughout his career,” said Jack Swagger.
Hager claims that he was to beat Cena in matches but the results would always be changed due to Cena at the backstage. Such claims add to the speculation that Cena was often the beneficiary of decisions.
John Cena’s Upcoming WWE Matches
Nevertheless, Cena is one of the biggest stars of WWE across the globe. This weekend he is also representing the company in Clash in Paris PLE. It will be the first time Cena will enter the ring against the social media star Logan Paul, who has gained a lot of popularity in WWE.
In the United States, Peacock, and worldwide in Netflix, will stream the event live in Paris. Other featured matches are the battle between Becky Lynch and Nikki Bella to decide the WWE Women Intercontinental Championship, and the fight between Seth Rollins, CM Punk, Jey Uso and LA Knight to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
Cena to Headline WrestlePalooza on ESPN
Cena is also taking a farewell tour, which will also include a history making appearance on September 20 at WrestlePalooza in Indianapolis. Such a show will be the first-ever premium live event on the WWE that is broadcasted on ESPN direct-to-consumer app, which is a significant change in the streaming strategy of the company.
The event can get huge publicity as Cena is the main attraction. His celebrity status, despite political charges, is still making him bring in big audiences.
In the case of WWE, the future of Cena is more than just a way to commemorate his legacy. It is also an opportunity to move the company into the new realms of broadcasting and fan interaction with the help of his worldwide fame.
