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Apparently, John Cena is in a must-win situation against Solo Sikoa

By Christopher Jeter

Aug 21, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Roman Reigns (black pants) with Paul Heyman (suit) and John Cena (denim shorts) battle for the WWE Universal Championship at SummerSlam 2021 at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 21, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Roman Reigns (black pants) with Paul Heyman (suit) and John Cena (denim shorts) battle for the WWE Universal Championship at SummerSlam 2021 at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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At this point in his Hall of Fame career, John Cena (or more specifically, his on-screen character) has little to prove as a wrestler. But ahead of his match against Solo Sikoa at the next sportswashing pay-per-view for the Saudi Arabian government, the 16-time world champion has convinced himself otherwise.

During the Oct. 27 episode of SmackDown, Cena reflected on his less-than-stellar win-loss record over the last few years. He then speculated that his recent lack of success could cost him the respect and adoration of the fans.

As ridiculous as that notion is, it gave Cena the impetus to cut an impassioned promo about needing to beat Sikoa to validate his current place on the roster.

Why is John Cena’s framing of this match with Solo Sikoa being a “must-win” so silly?

Now, there isn’t a person on this planet who actually believes that Cena’s reputation is on the line against Sikoa. If anything, his boisterous declaration all but confirms that he’s beating The Bloodline’s heater at the propaganda premium live event; without Cena’s proclamation, some fans would’ve predicted an upset win for Sikoa. Still, Cena (and WWE) deserve some credit for, at least, trying to add some discernable stakes to this match.

On the surface, Cena vs. Sikoa holds a fair bit of intrigue. There’s the obvious novelty of seeing Cena wrestle now that he’s become a part-time attraction, and we’ll also learn a lot about Sikoa’s viability as a top star. Plus, Cena telling us how imperative a victory is fits the well-guided philosophy of making wins and losses meaningful.

(Paul Heyman also said that Sikoa would use the Samoan Spike to rob Cena of his ability to talk, but given that Cena has continued to speak after getting hit with the move in the past, fans shouldn’t read too much into that threat.)

It just seems a tad hyperbolic to suggest that fans will view Cena differently if he loses to Sikoa, especially after he won his most recent match (though it was a tag team outing). While this match could certainly impact how viewers see Sikoa, Cena’s standing as an all-time great is as secure as that padlock he used to wear around his neck.

Next. Five of the biggest matches in Rey Mysterio’s amazing career. dark

No matter how many losses he piles up, that won’t change.