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World’s Most Dangerous Column 12.01.13: Has WWE Found A Modern Day Rock vs. Austin?
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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.
A tradition started at the end of each point when I wrote The Wrestling 5&1, “You Decide!” is your chance to weigh in on a major question facing professional wrestling each week. Vote once per hour, and leave your opinions in the comments section!
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?
Voting closes Thursday night!
5 Up/5 Down, your look at what’s trending up (and down) in the world of pro wrestling!
John Cena Xavier Woods Roman Reigns Mr. Anderson Sami Zayn & Adrian Neville |
Kaitlyn Velvet Sky Jesse, Robbie E & Zema Ion
Aksana The World Heavyweight Championship |
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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