WWE’s John Cena is Bad Now, and Wrestling is More Exciting Than Ever

We’re still riding from the high of the Oscars, but arguably the most cinematic moment to happen in entertainment as of late took place on March 1 at a wrestling show. At the end of WWE’s premium live event, the Elimination Chamber, John Cena — the “hero” of the WWE for close to three decades and the man who famously announced in front of a sold-out crowd that Osama Bin Laden was killed — became a bad guy. It was the biggest twist to happen in professional wrestling, reminding everyone that the WWE has really been cooking lately. 

After winning the headline match at the Elimination Chamber and earning a ticket to the main event of Wrestlemania 41 this April, John Cena was in the middle of the ring with fellow good guy and current WWE champion Cody Rhodes. In the current storyline, Dwayne “The Rock’ Johnson, in his most devilish role yet, asked for the soul of Rhodes, with the latter exclaiming, “Hey Rock, go fuck yourself.” An exuberant Cena immediately hugged Rhodes, and it seemed like all was right in the world. The whole crowd was on their feet cheering until Cena betrayed Rhodes, revealing himself to be on the Rock’s side all along. Setting the stage for a must-watch Wrestlemania, an evil John Cena, on his retirement tour no less — made everyone, including his doubters, take notice.

If that sounds like a lot, it’s because it is. Professional wrestling has always been the most. It combines everything people love — from mixed martial arts and comic book movies, to RuPaul and Real Housewives, turned up to a thousand. Its success in the last couple of years has allowed WWE to take the biggest risks it can imagine.It brought back its most controversial wrestler CM Punk, a fan-favorite once thought impossible to return. Wrestlemania XL became the “most successful” event in the history of WWE. ever. And this year, its multibillion, 10-year deal with Netflix officially launched in January. (Sadly, the deal with Netflix does not include the Philippines.)

Basketball has been boring. The National Football League keeps having the same teams win the Superbowl. Tennis is yet to find its new breakout athlete. The UFC reeks of Trump. When sports has become the most predictable thing ever, the absurdity of professional wrestling has given audiences the excitement it’s been yearning for. 

It may technically not be a “real” sport, but given our depressing reality as of late, maybe this “fake” sport is the escapism we all desperately need at the moment.