John Cena may be on his way out as The Face That Is In Charge Of Day-To-Day Operations In This Area. The man who has been on top in WWE for the past decade-plus is openly waiting for someone to take his spot, he’s getting defeated cleanly on television for the first time in seven years and he’s about to start taking even more time off for the second season of American Grit. It’s pretty obvious — especially with his crossover success in film and television — that his days as a full-time wrestler are numbered.
But there’s one more big, fat item on his to-do list, which is to tie or surpass Ric Flair’s (official) record for more world championship title reigns. Cena currently stands at 15 world title reigns, just one short of the 16-time Dirtiest Player in the Game.
On episode 11 of The Ric Flair Show, the Nature Boy took some questions from fans and addressed the elephant in the room that comes with Cena’s pursuit of No. 16.
“Well, first of all, I text John. I love John. He’s always, even when I’m not there, he throws me name out there and keeps me in the public eye. I would be elated if John got that. I mean, he [has] worked hard enough and it’s never going to affect my legacy. I think the world of John Cena as a person, as a man.
” … But I think the world of John and I think that when I look at what he has done for the company, and, of course, the company has done a lot for him, but his work ethic is incredible. He’s a great guy. He’s a great ambassador. And if he won that title for the sixteenth time, I’d be the first to congratulate him.”
And because he’s Ric Flair, he offered to lace ’em up again and face Cena for a potential 17th title reign.
“Well, I would love for John Cena to win the title and them to give me six months to get ready because I could wrestle again very easily, but I would need six months just for cosmetics and a couple months of everyday training in the ring at the [WWE] Performance Center. I would love that, for that to happen. I don’t think it ever will, but I could be in that kind of shape if I got the head’s up in the next month or so.”
See, Ric, you waited too long to make the offer. Maybe if you’d told them that before WrestleMania, when everyone in the world was injured, you may have had a chance. But it’s okay, Naitch. You don’t want any more TNA situations on your conscience.
(h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription)
