During an interview with WSVN-TV Entertainment reporter Chris Van Vliet, John Cena answered several questions – most of which about the second season of American Grit. There were the other subjects like what his relationship with Ric Flair was like and if he carried the engagement ring on him during his WrestleMania match, but perhaps the most significant question was when Cena was asked who he would be passing his WWE torch to.
Cena responded:
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“I think it’s been passed without me. There’s a lot of folks who are currently doing a lot of damage on the roster. The show is thriving in my absence. I think it’s extremely competitive. I did win the 16th Championship at the Rumble but I was unfortunate in my first defense at Elimination Chamber and before that I hadn’t really been in the Championship picture for a while. I think the company is moving on quite well. I don’t know if there needs to be a formal anointment but they’re really doing well without me.”
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Ratings would argue differently as both Raw and Smackdown have been toiling since WrestleMania. However, it’s during these months that wrestling is traditionally the slowest. So any case of panic is likely just overreaction.
It was odd to see that Cena did not mention Roman Reigns in this quote. The secret of Reigns being the next “Guy” has long been out, so Cena mentioning him here would not seem out of place. The fact that he did not, thought, it worth an eyebrow lift.
Instead of Reigns, Cena remarked on the high level of competition within the roster. This cannot be understated. WWE has its most talented roster to date. Maybe the depth of talent, not just Roman Reigns, is WWE’s biggest strength at the moment.
This is why no one should take the ratings slip too seriously or think the WWE is actually in trouble. With so many talented employees, the company has no choice but to be great. It’s an exciting time to be a WWE fan, even in these dull months. As we build to SummerSlam, we’ll all be rewarded for our loyalty.
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