Photo Source: WWE.com
John Cena earned an opportunity to make history at WWE Fastlane 2018. Here’s why he should be successful.
WWE Fastlane 2018 is just around the corner. It’s final stop on the Road to WrestleMania for not only the SmackDown brand, but for the entire WWE. And the main event at Fastlane has the chance to be truly historic.
AJ Styles is set to defend the WWE Championship. Over the weeks since the Royal Rumble, the match has grown in size and scope at almost every turn. At first, it was a triple threat match, with Styles facing Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. Then, due to shenanigans, Baron Corbin and Dolph Ziggler were added, making it a fatal five way.
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!
Two weeks ago, John Cena defeated Styles to earn yet another spot in that main event contest. So now, it’s a six pack challenge, with the winner going on to a WrestleMania match against Shinsuke Nakamura.
With Cena spending so much of 2018 worrying about his spot at WrestleMania – including whether or not he’d even have one – this match stands to be a turning point for him. Despite still being one of WWE’s biggest stars, it’s been a while since Cena was truly a part of the main event. Even his WWE Championship victory at the Royal Rumble in 2017 seemed less important than it should have been – considering he tied Ric Flair’s record for world title victories.
But can Cena win the six pack challenge? Who knows? But here’s three reasons why John Cena should win at WWE Fastlane 2018.
Got Any Plans?
I’m fully aware that you can’t take everything that’s said on a wrestling show at face value. Even the best promoters and companies still have a bit of the ol’ carny blood in them. So no matter what is stated outright, there’s always the chance you’re being worked.
That said, for the life of me I can’t think of anything worthwhile John Cena could be doing at WrestleMania. We kid around about the biggest star of the past twenty or so years in WWE whining about not having a “Road to WrestleMania.” But what is the end game for Cena as it stands right now?
Now, before you yell out, “THE UNDERTAKER!” I’m going to tell you I don’t think he’s going to wrestle this year. He looked awful in all of his appearances in 2017 – his time is up. For every whispered rumor that “his beard is dyed black!” or “his hip surgery went well!” I would like to direct your attention to his remarks at WWE Raw 25.
While I’ll concede he never outright stated he was retiring, come on. He made his way to the ring without his coat and hat that he left behind at WrestleMania 33 – leaving the gear behind was thought to be symbolic of his retirement. He strongly alluded to going away at Raw 25. And Cena himself – likely breaking the fourth wall – said a match with The Undertaker wasn’t going to happen.
Again, knowing I’m probably being worked, I still don’t see it. And without The Undertaker as a Cena opponent, there’s nothing ready to go for John. So to give him something meaningful, he should win the WWE Championship at Fastlane, and go into WrestleMania as champion.
Mania is Big Enough Already
Whenever Cena wins the WWE Championship again, it will be his 17th reign as world champion. That would break Ric Flair’s record of 16, which has been heavily discussed in the past.
When Cena defeated AJ Styles at the Royal Rumble in 2017 to tie the record, it was billed as historic. (Never mind that the reign itself was incredibly lackluster.) If that big a deal was made out of the record-tying win, imagine what kind of celebration or brouhaha would happen when Cena breaks the record.
Now do you want that to get lost in the mix of WrestleMania? There’s already enough happening on the Mania card in New Orleans. We have a Universal Championship match that’s a rematch three years in the making. There’s also the in-ring debut of Ronda Rousey, who is seen as the biggest crossover acquisition for WWE since, uh, Kurt Angle? Brock Lesnar?
Assuming Roman Reigns defeats Lesnar to finally, officially, 100% coronate him as The Guy, how many huge celebrations can you have at one show? There’s only so much confetti you can drop from the rafters – and there’s no more pyro, so no fireworks.
No, if Cena is going to get the spectacle he would deserve for breaking such a record, it doesn’t need the WrestleMania backdrop. Therefore, he should win the six pack challenge at Fastlane, get doused in confetti there, and then it can be business as usual at WrestleMania for the rest of the roster.
Some Men Just Want to Watch the World Burn
If I went around my neighborhood and asked fans who they want to win the six pack challenge at Fastlane, I would bet that John Cena would be, at best, the fifth choice. Styles, Owens, and Zayn would be the top three picks, Ziggler would probably get number four, and depending on how many ex-football playing motorcyclists I found Baron Corbin would be either fifth or sixth. Cena’s played out, man – no one really wants to see him win.
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Which is why it’s the perfect time for him to go over and win the dang title. You think there were petitions to boycott the WWE Network when Reigns won the Royal Rumble/WWE Championship/United States Championship/Intercontinental Championship? Imagine how things would go down if the WWE Universe is denied a Styles/Nakamura singles match at WrestleMania.
Ooooh, I’m getting giddy just thinking about this. I can hear the boos when Cena heads into the ring on SmackDown with the championship around his waist. They’re even louder than the boos Reigns hears on a regular basis. Can you hear them? It’s more glorious than a Bobby Roode ring entrance.
The backlash against WWE for making Cena the world champion before WrestleMania will be unparalleled. Honestly, I kind of want to see him win the title just to see if the company has the guts to pull the trigger on it. Are the powers that be fully prepared for the deluge of angry tweets, phone calls, emails, and Network cancellations? I have my popcorn ready.
Next: Fantasy Booking the WWE Championship Match at WWE Fastlane 2018
Do you think John Cena should win the WWE Championship at WWE Fastlane 2018?