Bully Ray Details How John Cena's Focus Affected Reception Of WWE Raw Promo
For the final time in his in-ring career, John Cena stood before his home state crowd in Massachusetts for this week's episode of "WWE Raw" in Springfield. In the eyes of "Busted Open Radio" host Dave LaGreca, Cena's opening promo seemed catered more toward the live audience rather than those watching the show at home, which wasn't a definitively good or bad thing. To him and some other viewers, though, it did feel like a speech from a WWE live event. Co-host and WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray has since further explained why a number of viewers perceived Cena's promo in that same manner.
"Those people were alive for John last night. It wasn't underwhelming. What it was was very 101," Ray said. "It was basic white meat babyface, rah, rah, let's go team. 'I'm going to beat Brock Lesnar. You've been a thorn in my side for 20 years. Every time you knock me down, I'm going to get right back up because I'm one of Springfield's own.' That's what it was.
"Nothing about that promo last night made me go, 'Wow, I need to buy a ticket right at this very moment,'" he continued. "I think John took into account the hometown crowd more than he did the audience at home, but that's okay, because I don't believe that the audience at home was really that disappointed. I said underwhelming, you agreed with it. There wasn't a lot there. It was very surface, but he got the job done."
In his address, Cena noted his history in the Springfield area, which included a stint as an offensive lineman at Springfield College, and his local friends and family in attendance at "Raw." Following this, Cena pivoted the discussion to his upcoming opponent at WWE Wrestlepalooza, Brock Lesnar, whom he admitted to being afraid of. In the spirit of his catchphrase, however, Cena promised that crowd that he wouldn't give him in his fight against "The Beast."
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.