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World’s Most Dangerous Column 12.01.13: Has WWE Found A Modern Day Rock vs. Austin?

December 1, 2013 | Posted by Greg De Marco

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Since that date, Randy Orton and John Cena have won Royal Rumbles, main evented WrestleManias, starred in movies, married and divorced sweethearts, and have grown into the two most well-known and arguably two most marketable superstars in the modern day WWE.

There have been other guys, men like Edge, Batista and CM Punk, who have had multiple and long runs with the world titles. Sheamus has also achieved great success, and recently Daniel Bryan was a WWE main eventer. But those guys are role players in the world of Randy Orton and John Cena. Hell, as much as we on the internet love to fight for them, I’d argue that Daniel Bryan and CM Punk happened begrudgingly, only because the fans demanded it (Punk) or injuries necessitated it (Bryan).

But dating back nearly nine years, this was always destined to be John Cena and Randy Orton. Destined…and designed.

If you watch WrestleMania 20 and WrestleMania 21, you can see that John Cena and Randy Orton are the future of the WWE. In the decade that follows, the WWE has spent countless hours, countless dollars and countless amounts of on-screen-time and financial resources to build up these two superstars. They have more invested in those two than in the rest of the roster combined.

Outside of Edge (also at 11), no other active wrestler can match their world titles, and if Edge were still around I think he’s somehow factor into the main event scene. But he’s retired via injury and sitting in the Hall of Fame.

Cena and Orton are both two of the last examples of guys built “the right way.” Each man held a secondary championship before holding a world championship—Orton holding the Intercontinental Championship and Cena holding the United States Championship.

So when it came time for the WWE to unify (even if they haven’t used that word) the world titles, why would they pick any performers not named John Cena or Randy Orton? They have more invested and more riding on those two guys than anyone else under contract.

But I think the WWE is going for more than that. I think the WWE is creating a modern-day “Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs. The Rock scenario for Cena and Orton. Austin and Rock defined an era, and with Edge removed by injury it’s been up to Cena and Orton to define this era. Whether you love it or hate it, John Cena vs. Randy Orton is this generation’s Austin-Rock.

But there’s one more fact that is largely ignored. For the past few years, we’ve been looking for “the next guy.” It’s been Sheamus. It’s been Wade Barrett. It’s been CM Punk, Daniel Bryan and right now it’s Big E. Langston and Roman Reigns. But this is just wishful thinking. And a disappointment waiting to happen.

It’s time to face facts people: John Cena and Randy Orton, in one way or another, will remain at the top of the WWE for the next five years…minimum.

Despite several career threatening injuries, John Cena is on top of the mountain at age 36, and has been for quite some time. Randy Orton, two Wellness Policy to his name, is on top of the mountain at age 33. Based on his physical conditioning and ability to recover from injury, John Cena easily has 5 more years at the top, maybe more. And Orton could make it another 10.

That beloved CM Punk is actually older than Orton, by two years, at age 35. Daniel Bryan clocks in at age 32. Sheamus is older than everyone not listed here not named John Cena, at 35 (January birthday). Triple H is currently 44, and pushed his full time career to age 40. Both Orton and Cena are arguably in better prime condition than Trips, and don’t have an executive position with stock and ownership options awaiting them, either. By the way, The Big Show, who just main evented a WWE pay-per-view, is 41 and easily has more health problems than Orton and Cena combined.

What about Roman Reigns? He’s 28, and while he can have a great run in the WWE, he might be pushing 35 before a true “top spot” is even available. Ditto for Big E Langston, who is currently 27. Other notables include Dean Ambrose (27), Seth Rollins (27) and Cody Rhodes (28). And don’t think there will be a spot available in the upper echelon for all five names I just listed. The aforementioned Sheamus, CM Punk and Daniel Bryan could have something to say about it. The only one of those three who has ever mentioned retirement is CM Punk. Say he retires in the next three years, which opens up one spot. Who takes it?

My goal here isn’t to present a dismal picture, but a real one. If you’ve read me for any stretch of time, you know how much I love to fantasy book. But this is an exercise in reality, because that’s where we actually live. And the reality of the situation is that we’ll have Randy Orton and John Cena at the top of the WWE for several years to come, and the dance partners available to rotate in are largely cemented as well.

Don’t expect “change” anytime soon.

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The WWE wants to make John Cena vs. Randy Orton as “epic” as The Rock vs. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. How does the modern day top feud compare to the rivalry many call the best ever?


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John Cena
Current World Heavyweight Champion interrupted the Randy Orton-Authority love fest during Monday’s Raw, and what resulted was the booking of the WWE’s second world title unification of the modern era. It wasn’t Orton’s idea (he hated it), it wasn’t Triple H’s idea (although he’s claiming it), the impetus for this “epic” encounter goes to Superman personified, John Cena. Thanks Champ, we’re glad you’re here. #SeeWhatIDidThere?

Xavier Woods
How much must it suck to be Brodus Clay? Smackdown win aside, his theme song, special effects and cheerleaders were basically handed to Woods for Monday’s Raw. And all signs seem to indicate that Woods enjoyed himself…

Roman Reigns
Obvious? Yes. But that doesn’t make it wrong. Roman Reigns does seem to be on the fast track to being a bigger player for the WWE, likely the first of the Shield members to truly break out. His performance at the Survivor Series was great, but what happened on Raw was even more telling. Reigns had a different attitude, a certain swagger (not Jack Swagger, mind you) about him—especially during the attack on CM Punk. While I’m not ready to see The Shield break up until after they get a face run, I do believe that when it happens Roman Reigns will be the first one to move up the card.

Mr. Anderson
The man who took down Aces & Eights has been one of several bright spots since his return to TNA, and is an example of how a former WWE talent can be helpful to Impact Wrestling. His feud with Bully Ray isn’t over, and it’ll be interesting to see what comes next.

Sami Zayn & Adrian Neville
These two had an amazing match on this week’s WWE NXT broadcast, as seen on Hulu. If the WWE chose to market this match, or let them do this same thing during hour #2 of Raw, they’d have some new stars on their hands. Zayn still “looks small,” but given the right gimmick will do amazing things on the main roster. But the real star in this duo is Neville. He has a look that the WWE can work with, and his move set can fit the TV style. The “Red Arrow” corkscrew shooting star press isn’t currently seen on television, and can easily push the man formerly known as PAC into the hearts of WWE fans. Either man can be a success, they just need the opportunity.


Kaitlyn
When you have to ask yourself why someone is wrestling with the heels, there’s a problem. Just why was Kaitlyn teaming with the likes of AJ & Tamina, and why in the hell was she jobbed out so fast—and to Natalya of all people! It’s okay Kaitlyn, I’ll cheer you up…

Velvet Sky
Seriously Velvet—Brodus Clay feels bad for you! First Velvet lost in less than 4 minutes to Lei D’Tapa. Then she was shunned from the “Winner Winner Turkey Dinner” on Impact Wrestling. By her own boyfriend. I know they’re going for a Miss Elizabeth vibe for Velvet Sky, but I don’t see this working out so well.

Jesse, Robbie E & Zema Ion
I know what you’re asking: “How can the TNA World Tag Team Champions, and their new DJ, be included in 5 Down?” The answer is simple—competition. Or more accurately, no competition. How can they carry a division when they’re the only team in the division?

Aksana
Why am I picking on Aksana? The answer is simple: How irrelevant do you need to be to have a “wardrobe malfunction” on wrestling’s most watched show and get zero attention because of it? Let me give you a painful example. Say Eva Marie has the nip-slip. The internet explodes, then the hardcore fans respond in outrage. Aksana’s? Barely registers.

The World Heavyweight Championship
With the eventual move to one world title, the writing is on the wall for everyone’s favorite big gold belt. It’s a classic design that dates back to the old days of the NWA, worn by such all-time greats as Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Rick Steamboat, Sting, Goldberg, Booker T and The Great Khali. Okay, I was kidding about that last one. Oh, and Jack Swagger. Kidding again! It’s soon to become a thing of the past, as we move back to having one world champion (which I think is the right thing to do).

So let me get this straight. Over the past few years, the Internet Wrestling Community has been begging for a) the end of the brand extension, b) a Randy Orton heel turn, and c) the unification of the World Heavyweight and WWE Championship.

Now you have it, and what are you doing? Bitching. WTF?

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Greg De Marco

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