John Cena isn’t blind. He knows how the World Heavyweight Championship is perceived today and wants to change that perception himself by holding & defending the World Championship at WrestleMania 30.
“This is not taken as a shot of disrespect to anyone who has held the title before me, but it’s now viewed as a second-tier championship,” Cena said. “(Defending it at WrestleMania 30) will truly put a stamp on making it the real deal. I want the WWE universe to realize that it’s not a second-tier championship. It should be treated with as much respect as the WWE title.”
When Cena captured the World Heavyweight Championship at Hell In A Cell, it kicked off his 14th World Championship title reign, only two title reigns away from tying Ric Flair’s iconic 16 title reigns. This piece of trivia hasn’t escaped the fans, critics or Cena himself.
“If I have two more (titles), that means I’m going to lose it two more times,” he said. “So I’d rather stay at 14. That record is held in pretty high esteem. Just to be in that conversation, that means I’ve done something right over the years. If it gets to the point of where it does happen, I’ll enjoy hearing what our fans have to say.”
“I’m glad at least (the critics) are watching,” said Cena. “So I’ll keep accepting their criticism as far as my in-ring skill set and just keep moving on. I’ve won 14 championships with five moves (alluding to his controversial ‘Five Moves Of Doom’), and if I could only get myself a sixth one, I’ll be able to break that 16 mark. … I truly take (the criticism) in jest.”
