John Cena has been a draw for the WWEthroughout the PG era, he has also drawn a lot of heat with fans who are rebellious against the positive attitude and good guy persona of the 16 time World -Champion. Since 2017 Cena has been mostly a part-timer in WWE since pursuing an acting career, it looks like that may change due to the pout come at SummerSlam where he will Face WWE champ Roman Reigns.
Cena has always received a mixed crowd reaction with fans either cheering for him or fans cheering against him, usually in the form of the “CENA SUCKS” chants. While speaking to Chris Hardwick on ID1OT, Cena was asked how he deals with the perception other have of him.Cena went on to reveal that the Cena sucks chants actually helped him.
” A lot of it comes from WWE and its audience. Being told that ‘you suck’ every time you go out, five times a week, genuine visceral. The reason I know it’s genuine, I was a fucking good guy. I was deemed the role as a hero and there was an adversarial visceral force of reminding you ‘don’t get to close to the sun. ‘You Suck’. A lot of that helps…one, take their opinion in and understand why they think I suck. two, be ok with being humiliated every night. Three, look in the mirror and being like,’ I’m okay with what I see.’ I always say I owe the WWE audience more than I can explain. they made me into the person I am, not the professional. i take a lot of professional tidbits from my time there, but they molded me into the person I am.”
In WWE , when you here that reaction, the thing to do is to turn on the audiance and become a bad guy because what they are telling you is what they want.. Under no set of circumstances , It’s like ,’nope , go out there and smile.’ I have to have pateinceto deal with that and having to be told’you cannot wave’ helped my resolve, patienceand empithity.’
Since his return at Money In The Bank a few weeks ago the reaction to Cena has been mostly positive, but that might change if he defeats Reigns at SummerSlam, we will have to see.