In the latest episode of his podcast, “Off The Top”, Rikishi, a WWE Hall of Famer, shared his skepticism about John Cena’s ability to break Ric Flair’s world title record and become a 17-time World Champion.
Below are some key excerpts from the podcast:
Rikishi’s thoughts on John Cena’s recent villainous promo: “It certainly made an impact. It knocked us all for six, me included. I questioned, ‘What on earth happened to John?’ After that, I got rid of all the merchandise. Yes, we discarded everything. We tossed it out, stating ‘We won’t be supporting John Cena anymore. If John Cena is ditching us, then we are ditching him too.’
“But seriously, he really surprised us. It seems like he’s been bottling up a lot. John, it’s unhealthy to keep such deep-seated resentment. When you harbor such feelings for a long time, it messes with your psyche. It leads to poor decision-making. Listening his speech, I thought to myself, ‘Man, he should just relax and unwind a bit.’ For a long time, we’ve always seen Cena as the flawless hero. The perfect individual who spreads joy in the world and among fans. But now, he seems to have shifted to the other side. If he is wondering why there is an outcry from fans around the world? Well, he should self-reflect. He has upset many children, adults and even divorced women.”
Rikishi’s prediction on Cena’s quest to break the World Title record: “No, it’s highly unlikely. I can’t visualize a company advancing forward with this, particularly if this is his final stint. Despite us being only a couple of weeks away from Mania, a lot can transpire. His controversial promo stirred emotions of many people. Various podcasts are discussing it including ours. In light of this, the tide can change. It might be John Cena’s villainous behavior is picking up steam and might be good for business. Intriguing deals can occur within the short span of three weeks. Even though we’re discussing this as his farewell tour, who knows? Perhaps something occurs a fortnight away from WrestleMania that rekindles his passion.”
“Something I’d advise Cena, which he already knows, is how enjoyable playing a villain can be. You can vent out your true feelings and people will just think it’s part of the show. They won’t even realize whether it’s scripted or not. It’s easier than trying to portray the hero and only utter agreeable things. However, after processing John’s recent transformation and his latest promo, I think he’s gaining momentum.”