Time to give John Cena his due

That seems to be the million dollar question on Cena Nation as Monday Night Raw approaches. After losing to C.M. Punk last night at Money In The Bank will Vince McMahon follow through on his promise to fire John Cena. I do not see that happening, but turning heel for Cena is something that could happen.

CM Punk seems to be everyone’s favorite wrestler these days, and I can certainly understand that. Not only is he perhaps the best all-around performer in the business right now, but he has turned the wrestling world on its ear ever since his contract status became the main angle on WWE television.

But while we’re all praising Punk for his spectacular promo skills and in-ring ability, let’s not forget that there was another guy in the ring with Punk at Sunday night’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view, and his efforts in the Match of the Year candidate and the angle as a whole should not be overlooked.

You don’t have to like the character John Cena plays or how that character is booked, but as I’ve said many times, anyone who chants “You can’t wrestle” at Cena (which some fans did Sunday night at MITB) just don’t know what they’re talking about. He may not be an elite ring technician, but Cena has had too many outstanding pay-per-view matches in his career to still be labeled a sub-par worker.

C.M.Punk took off through the crowd just like he said he would and that had to piss Mr. McMahon off, but firing John Cena really will serve no purpose for the chairman. I think that he will tell John Cena he must find C.M. Punk and get the belt back or he will be terminated and give him a time limit to do it.

Turning heel has been in the cards for Cena for sometime now, so do not be surprised if that happens as well. In the end, Cena will get the belt back by next year as they want him champion when he faces The Rock at Wrestlemaina. This storyline though with C.M.Punk could prove interesting over the next few months.

He hasn’t just had outstanding matches with the likes of Punk, Shawn Michaels, Jericho and Edge, either. I recall Cena getting a heck of a match out of The Great Khali of all people several years ago.

Sure, Cena’s character gets a little stale at times and his “funny” promos don’t always work, but he was the perfect antagonist for Punk in this story line. Punk would have gotten a tremendous reaction from the hometown crowd in Chicago Sunday regardless of who his opponent was, but the atmosphere wouldn’t have been nearly as electric with anyone else as it was with Cena, who always draws a passionate response whether you love him or hate him.