[2014-02-17-WWE-Raw] John Cena vs Cesaro

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Timbo Slice]

Cena talked on the Steve Austin show about how he wants new dance partners and Cesaro might be the guy I want to see him dance the most with. Two freakishly strong dudes that bust out great power spots and in this match, it was all about Cena making Cesaro's power stuff look great. He takes the Swiss Death better than anyone on the roster and he absolutely laid it into Cesaro at points. The finish was fantastic, with the deadlift superplex starting things off and then Cena's fantastic roll through AA to finish. I liked the Orton match for Cesaro making Orton about as interesting as he has been in a long time, but this is the better match.

[dawho5]

Besides Bryan followed by Rusev I think Cesaro is the best of the new crop of guys as a Cena opponent. I also think that a lot of the commentary hit on things I have thought about Cesaro's character. He's very much a face archetype. Hard worker obviously, but with the hyped up super workout freak thing it's hard to hate the guy. And he's billed as the ultimate competitor, which is also a very face attribute. So why does he keep getting booked as a heel? The match itself was fantastic. Cena running into a physical freak like Cesaro ought to be saved for major PPVs. If the WWE was smart they'd take advantage of Cena's tweener status and turn Cesaro face with a big Cena feud.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Why Cesaro has not been turned face is one of the great mysteries of the past year? I echo everything you say and on top of that he just flat out is not a very good heel. He would be an excellent power babyface spot monkey.

 

John Cena vs Cesaro w/Real Americans - RAW 2/17/14

Much like the Bryan/Cesaro RAW match from 2013, I thought this match was overhyped initially by the commentary I was reading. The difference here was that upon rewatch, Cena and Cesaro lived up to the hype of being one of the best matches on free TV for the year of 2014. It is true testament to both competitors that even though the match was a showcase for Cesaro's strength spots, it never descended into an exhibition. On the surface level, many would attribute that Cesaro's creativity in setting up his own strength spots such as:

1. Using a Cena leapfrog (very typical Cena spot) to hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Almost never see Cena's leapfrog countered and an excellent transition to Cesaro controlling the match.

2. Catching a Cena cross body block into an incredible fallaway slam.

3. Reversing the STF into a deadlift gutwrench

4. Using an uppercut to block Cena's top rope legdrop to setup his middle rope suplex from the apron.

Cesaro really does come off as the Swiss Superman in this match and this is not against Rey Misterio, but against John Cena. It is not just Cena's presence that makes it all that more incredible, but how Cena sets Cesaro up to look amazing. Cena is purposefully wrestling smaller to make Cesaro look larger than life. He tried to match strength and power with Cesaro early, but two mistakes (leapfrog and crashing & burning over the top rope) put him in a bad position as Cesaro is content to lean on him with chinlocks. Cena tries to pull unexpected tricks like the hurricanrana and the cross body block in doing so he magnifies Cesaro's strength. Of course, Cena's most important role in this is to maintain that this is a sporting contest not an exhibition for Cesaro, which could have very easily devolved into with a more mindless performance. Cena was always on Cesaro fighting from underneath and making Cesaro earn every inch. I enjoyed the Giant Swing teases because it gets a rise out of the crowd, but also I see the move as the ultimate grandstanding, hot dog move. He could win with the Neutralizer, but the Giant Swing shows off Cesaro's strength and humiliates Cena. You see that Cesaro's hubris almost costs him twice: STF and a DDT. He finally takes Cena on the Merry Go-Round, but that does not get it done and now it is time for the Neutralizer. This is of course the perfect position for the FU, wait, Cesaro lands on his feet. Wicked Cesaro big boot and WHATTA CLOTHESLINE, MICHAEL, BY CENA! Cena fireman's roll through into a FU for the victory.

Great ending because at the end of the day, Cena can beat Cesaro at his own game because he is still John Cena and power is his game. Cesaro pushed Cena hard, but came up short because he became obsessed with the Giant Swing and not just winning but proving he is The Man. I really liked the champion veteran against hungry up and comer dynamic throughout the match and how Cena was so selfless throughout the match. Selflessness is something I like to see in my heel because it is his job to shine up the heel. Cena walked the perfect tight rope to make Cesaro look like a million bucks, but he himself never lost his luster. Say what you will about Cena the promo or Cena the character (and I have my issues), but inside those ropes, he knows what he is doing. My slight qualms with this match. This match could have benefitted from body part psychology because Cesaro would go for chinlocks, which is fine, but the match could have used a little more spice. Even thought, I liked the ending, Cena did to readily get into the FU position from the Neutralizer. If you look at his selling and body language during his standard comeback (shoulderblocks), you see a man fighting through pain and exhaustion to win. The Cena at the end was a little too fresh. Regardless of these qualms, on the surface, the match showcases Cesaro as a Swiss Superman on the cusp of main event stardom, but if you look closely you see why John Cena is The Man and has been The Man for all these years. ****1/4

[supersonic]

One of my favorite Raw matches ever, and just as good on second viewing. Similar to Cena vs. Seth Rollins, this was Cena once again letting the new blood shine. However, this was better than that Rollins match. The pacing in this was phenomenal with some tremendous storytelling to go with it. Enough of the thesis, let's get to why this match is an instant classic.

 

Cesaro dominated not with technical wrestling, but with his great conditioning, tenacity, strength, and aggression. However, Cena was outstanding with his offense too when he would get his hope spots in. The first time Cesaro went for the giant swing, Cena countered into an an attempted STF. Cesaro blocked that attempt and put himself in position to successfully drop Cena with a gut-wrench suplex.

 

Cesaro also evaded an attempted Death Valler Driver, shoving Cena to bounce off the ropes and then lifting him for a devastating European uppercut. Later in the match, Cena went for his shitty top-rope leg-drop that is going to shorten his career, but Cesaro got up and delivered another deadly European uppercut, this one so hard that it knocked Cena to the outside of the ring. Cesaro then channeled Michael Elgin moments later and delivered an apron superlex as I like to call it. By this point the crowd was just rocking.

 

Cena would counter Cesaro's next giant swing attempt, doing a sit-up and dropping Cesaro with a DDT. By this point the crowd knew they were witnessing something special. The match just kept becoming more visually dazzling, the drama intensifying with each minute. The third time would be the charm for Cesaro and the crowd was marking out tremendously when he got the giant swing on Cena. The audience had to sense Cesaro was going to top his peak victory over Randy Orton just the week before, but Cena managed to squeak out another victory. Outstanding match. ****1/4