Jim Cornette knew John Cena before anyone else did, and he does not recognize the man on Netflix.
Cornette and co-host Brian Last went through the first episode of WWE Unreal season three on the Jim Cornette Experience. The season, which dropped all five episodes on July 21, is built around Cena’s farewell tour and gives him significant screen time to walk through the decisions of his final year, including the heel turn.
Cornette took the explanation itself at face value.
Cena’s explaining his thought process for being a heel, and it makes sense when he explained it, but they’re acting like it worked.
The delivery was the problem.
He’s turned into a monotonic, whispering robot wearing Vince McMahon’s clothing.
He also had a theory about where the words were coming from, asking Last whether Cena sounds like he is having someone read it into the chip in his brain.
Last did not disagree, though he separated the man from the manner.
But the way he talks, everything is a politically correct press statement where he’s not going to offend anyone.
He’s a robot. He speaks like a robot. He behaves like a robot.
He also called Cena a great guy and praised his work with children as commendable.
Cornette’s point is that this is not how Cena started. He was booking Ohio Valley Wrestling, WWE’s developmental territory, when Cena came through, and says the personality is what got him over there.
He used to be a very jovial, outspoken, happy fellow telling stories.
Later in the episode he returned to the tone of the interview.
Cena was getting so grandiose and polished and so soft-spoken about this, like he’s recounting the moment that he discovered the method for brain surgery.
WWE Unreal season three is directed by Chris Weaver with Erik Powers as showrunner, and follows the company through the build to WrestleMania 42. Triple H narrates.
