John Cena is Not a UFC Fan or That's What He Wants Us to Believe
by Geno Mrosko on Aug 31, 2010 4:22 PM EDT
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The top star in the WWE for what seems like forever has made his stance clear on the UFC. He doesn't like it. From Boston.com and via MMA Mania comes this quote:
"It’s just not something that particularly interests me. UFC is where boxing was years ago, and I was never really into boxing, either. [WWE is] regulated entertainment that’s safe for anyone to enjoy. (The UFC) can be pretty over the top, and it’s not something I’d want my children to watch."
He makes sure to say that WWE is safe for anyone to enjoy. That means he's implying that it's not safe to watch the UFC. He wouldn't let his children watch it. I'm okay with that, depending on how old the kids are. Here's the thing though. I'm pretty sure he's lying here. I don't have any sources within the industry or anything like that nor do I know Cena or any of his buddies but I'm betting he's towing the company line here. He probably loves the UFC but he can't say that because they are a competitor. Legit sport or not, these two are competing for the same fans.
Now that Cena has come out and officially declared his allegiance to the WWE and shunned the UFC in the process, his fans and WWE fans that don't watch the UFC now have a voice. They have a leader of sorts. Not that there is any sort of war between the two but the UFC has been taking WWE fans for a long time now. Younger kids get into WWE, they start to get older and maybe lose interest and they need somewhere to go to get a product that is largely the same but legitimate in ways the WWE is not. The UFC is waiting with open arms. Having Cena come out against the UFC is a way to quell that.
Will it work? Not likely. Not on the kind of scale that makes a big enough difference to notice but I think it does matter to have him take this sort of public stance. He is immensely popular with the kids and they take his words to heart. Maybe he's planting seeds of ill feeling towards the UFC that won't go away. I don't support that in any way but I think it's a smart thing to do. He could be speaking from the heart and being totally honest here. That would probably make it worse. I doubt it though.
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I think it’s more likely a stance to appeal to the parents, who by in large are the ones purchasing the PPV’s and control TV viewing habbits in the living room. He’s basically saying “UFC isn’t suitable for kids, WWE is family friendly, don’t buy UFC PPV’s for your kids, buy WWE ones instead, watch us on TV, don’t let your kids watch Spike (where TNA is also)”. Now, I don’t think parents are buying UFC PPV’s for toddlers or 8th Graders, but the 15-18 age group could be where we start seeing a crossover but also where the parents are the ones still in charge of the PPV dollar.
Perhaps WWE has recognised an age demographic where there’s an apparent drop off in viewership, and are trying to safeguard that.
That's a great argument.
The PPV numbers are great with the UFC because the demographic can actually purchase the PPV themselves with money they get from their jobs. A ton of WWE fans, and most of John Cena’s fans in particular, are young adolescents who don’t have jobs and still rely on their parents to pay for things like this. If they can’t convince them on a given month to purchase a PPV then there goes the buyrate.
The WWE is hooking them while they are young but because of the rise of the UFC and the direction of the company due to Linda McMahon’s senate campaign, they aren’t keeping them. Fans are graduating to the UFC so to speak.
Forget it Donny, you're out of your element.
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Doesn’t matter if Cena is lying or telling the truth he instantly made himself even more uncool than he was before. UFC is HOT and the only real fighting that matters in north america. Austin, Goldberg, Ross, Heyman, Taker, Drew McIntyre, HHH, Batista, Booker T, Hogan, Morrison, Jericho and more are all former or current WWE performers who have attended UFC events. WWE does not want to get into a competition with UFC because they can’t win that fight. Cena is probably telling the truth but his opinion on UFC won’t galvanize a band of UFC haters it just makes him look like a tool.
Freedom is a road seldom traveled by the multitudes...
A company line from the ultimate company man.
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by John Lamb on Aug 31, 2010 5:40 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Word.
That’s all this article says to me. Why wouldn’t you spread the mantra of the company that made you rich and famous? I don’t blame Cena for saying this stuff at all.
by FighterHayabusa on Aug 31, 2010 9:32 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, Cena's nothing without the WWF.
He’s just displaying an admirable (if irritating) loyalty to the company/man who made him what he is.
If I was a hungry man with a gun in my hand and some promises to keep...
Towing the corporate line
Cena and the PG direction are the reason why so many older fans have flocked to UFC. Everything with Cena is predictable. Cena is a company man through and through and he doesn’t say anything that they don’t tell him to. He probably makes really good money doing that so more power to him, but he’s still full of it.
I am not being disrespectful or haughty,
but the saying is to “Toe the line,” rather than “Tow the line.” It comes from a method to differentiate political groups on the debate floor in England: you kept your toe on or behind the line that designated your ‘side’ of the issue, and the line was literally a chalk or ribbon line that you weren’t supposed to put your toe past.
Thus, we have people like John Cena “Toeing the line” for his group, meaning he keeps his foot there to show support for a given position.
Again, I ain’t trying to be elitists or snobby, but I used to make the same mistake before watching Far and Away with Tom Cruise, where during his boxing matches they drew a chalk line and instructed the boxers to “Toe the line, gentlemen!”
If I was a hungry man with a gun in my hand and some promises to keep...
Good for him and I do hope the WWE succeeds in securing the under-13 demographic.
I personally do not care whether he gives props to the UFC or Strikeforce for that matter. He’s doing what he has to do to put asses in seats and sell his purple merchandise.
For every Sheamus, HHH and John Cena there’s a Kaval, ‘Bryanson’ and Jericho for me to tune into. Either we can hate or just tune the man out. I choose the latter.
by FighterHayabusa on Aug 31, 2010 9:37 PM EDT reply actions
Again, I apologize if it came across as snobby.
Don’t worry about it. I can’t remember very many occasions where people spell it properly online, so you’re definitely not alone.
What were you doing in the sun? The only times in my life I’m completely fried from the sun was when I was out bucking hay for like twelve hours straight, or when I was out sailing across the Pacific ocean fixing a torn sail on the foredeck for three days straight.
If I was a hungry man with a gun in my hand and some promises to keep...
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