WWE Battleground 2017: 5 Better Uses of John Cena Than a Flag Match

Credit: WWE

2. Sami Zayn

Sami Zayn and Cena have met once before. It happened all the way back in Cena’s famous United States Championship Open Challenge, the night that Zayn injured his shoulder. In Kayfabe, it was Owen’s Apron Powerbomb. He wasn’t 100% and he knew it. Zayn’s a fighter and would want to redeem that loss even if it was from years ago. Again, we’re looking at a face/face match up, so the story has to be built around the fact that Cena is the guy. It puts him into a gatekeeper role, that if you want to move up in WWE, you have to go through him. That’s a good spot for Cena, and it’s a good time for Zayn to try to move up.

In the past few months, he’s come within fingertips of several opportunities. He hung on for the majority of the Royal Rumble, the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, and almost hand his hands on the Money in the Bank briefcase. He keeps coming up short and it’s time, at least according to Zayn, to put up or shut up.