It looks like John Cena has his next opponent. At the upcoming WWE Saturday Night's Main Event, Cena will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against R-Truth. Yea, this is as predictable a match as any across professional wrestling. But that doesn't negate the fact that R-Truth deserves every moment in the spotlight during this moment.
John Cena versus R-Truth is more of a joke than anything. Truth is facing off agianst his "childhood" hero, while the former is going through an crisis of identity. For more than a decade, Truth has remained a comedy act in the WWE, and he's become one of the best in the business to play that role. Whether it was running into a battle royal with a ladder, threatening to eliminate Paul Heyman in the Royal Rumble, or ensuring he was a member of Judgment Day - Truth has known how to make the most of every moment given to him. But what will make this moment so important is that Truth gets to stand in the main event against someone he's been linked closely to, when the most eyes are on the business.
R-Truth deserves more respect for what he's achieved in wrestling
R-Truth is so much more than a comedy act. It's almost unfortunate that role is what he will be most known for throughout his career. More than 20 years ago, Truth carved out an important place in history as he became the first Black person to ever win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. To take things a step further, not only is he the first - he's still the ONLY Black man to ever have a recognized reign with that title. That moment also made him the fourth African-American to hold a World Championship in pro wrestling.
Think about those two accolades. On the basis of them alone, Truth is wrestling royalty. One who is still competing at 53 years of age as of this writing. While some viewers are complaing about the vailidy to this match, they are ignoring Truth's contributions and how closely he's was linked to Cena's early rise to prominence. From late 2010 to early 2012, R-Truth remained near the main event scene, frequently opposite of Cena in a variety of matches. Those iteractions led to the Truth we have today, where he's immitated everything Cena represented in wrestling. Making the latter's turn even more impactful to his character.
John Cena's final run isn't about great professional wrestling matches. In fact, his entire time at the top hasn't been about great matches. It has been his character work that has reigned supreme and that is what makes this upcoming defense against R-Truth so important. Truth should be considered an icon in this business for what he's achieved and his longevity. He deserves this moment in the spotlight.