John Cena’s Greatest Matches: A Legacy of Endurance

At a SmackDown taping in 2016, I sat next to a youngster who was fully decked out in John Cena gear. With a perplexed look on his face, he asked his mother what the audience was chanting as they voiced their disapproval of the match in progress. “They’re saying Cena sucks,” his mother replied in a cautious whisper, which brought sadness to his eyes.

I could hear the tears in his voice as he asked, “Why don’t they like him?” His mother pulled him in for a hug, shielding him from the negativity being hurled at her son’s hero. It was heartbreaking to watch. It also, however, put into perspective how, despite all the jeers, people have a special kind of love for John Cena.

From Kurt Angle in 2002 to Gunther in 2025, John Cena has left an indelible impression on the hearts and minds of wrestling fans while also being one of the industry’s most polarizing figures. Nearly fifteen years as the face of WWE, Cena traveled a road where the trip itself became as much of the story as any victory earned or title won.

The star of the show is usually not booed out of the buildings he performs in, but that was the case during John Cena’s prime on the WWE mountain top. Eventually, the tide turned, with fan support split evenly. Ultimately, the “Let’s go Cena. Cena Sucks” narrative became universal praise and admiration for the pride of West Newbury, Massachusetts.

Generations of wrestling fans went from insisting John Cena turn heel to condemning the turn that occurred in Toronto. Cena gained the respect and support of wrestling fans who used to boo him, while the children who idolized Cena grew up and are now the loudest voices in the room. John Cena’s legacy isn’t about “You Can’t See Me” or “You Can’t Wrestle.”

John Cena’s legacy is endurance. Hustle, Loyalty, and Respect all require one to endure.

”The Last Time is Now” tour’s final stop is Saturday, December 13th, in Washington D.C., for Saturday Night’s Main Event. As Cena’s swan song is upon us, it is only natural to reminisce about his greatest battles inside the squared circle. Many matches and moments come to mind, but let’s take a look at the 10 Best Matches of John Cena’s career.

Continue reading →

ECW Wrestlepalooza ’97 Review: Dreamer vs. Raven, Taz’s Triumph, and Lawler’s Invasion

The Oxford Dictionary defines the word “palooza” as a large-scale festival or event, characterized by a specific thing or person. While CM Punk finds the name “ridiculous,” Wrestlepalooza kicked off a new era of WWE PLEs on ESPN. Wrestlepalooza was originally an event produced by Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) until the company went out of business in 2001, and WWE acquired the assets in 2003.

Wrestlepalooza is not the first time WWE has used an event name from ECW’s past. Heatwave was ECW’s summertime pay-per-view and is now an NXT PLE. ECW held four Wrestlepalooza events, featuring a total of 29 matches between 1995 and 2000. Despite ECW’s reputation for consistently delivering memorable cards, there is one Wrestlepalooza to rule them all.

Wrestlepalooza ‘97 emanated from South Philadelphia’s ECW Arena on Saturday, June 7, 1997. It was a fun time to be a diehard wrestling fan as the Monday Night War was on fire. WCW Monday Nitro was 12 months into its infamous streak, beating WWF Monday Night Raw in the ratings for 83 consecutive weeks. Meanwhile, ECW influenced changes within the industry, in front of and behind the camera.

Wrestlers were constantly jumping ship to different promotions, creating a “You never know who will show up next” atmosphere across the big three promotions in the United States. A hallmark of ECW was its ability to make the most of its shocking arrivals. One of ECW’s top stars was leaving the promotion for greener pastures, while a star from another company crashed the party in lights-out fashion.

The voice of ECW, Joey Styles, and “Ravishing” Rick Rude opened the show to announce a change to the world title match. Stevie Richards was pulled from the match due to what was thought to be a career-ending neck injury. Terry Funk would now defend the ECW World Heavyweight Championship against the Triple Threat’s Chris Candido on short notice.

Continue reading →

Karrion Kross: Bumping Controversies Explained

Karrion Kross had his first PLE match in two years at WWE Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia, where he lost to Sami Zayn. Many were excited to see Kross in a featured match as his popularity has increased since his infamous “worked/shoot” promo in April during WrestleMania weekend.

Unfortunately, glad tidings in wrestling often come with mudslinging. WhatCulture.com reported that the reason Kross has received a lack of television time is that he won’t take bumps in his matches. The report cites comments on the matter from longtime wrestling journalist Wade Keller.

“I talked about this when he was all the rage in NXT and coming out of TNA,” said Keller. “I was like, ‘wrestlers are telling me when he gets to the main roster, nobody’s gonna put up with the fact that he doesn’t take bumps.’ He’s scared to bump. He doesn’t flat back bump. I don’t know if he’s got an injury or a concern.”

A bump (or back bump) in professional wrestling is a controlled backwards fall onto the canvas, designed to prevent injury while absorbing impact. Wrestlers tuck their chin while slapping the mat with their hands, distributing their weight evenly to dissipate the force.

The idea that Kross doesn’t take bumps is weird. After all, why should a wrestler put their body on the line to make someone look good if their opponent isn’t willing to do the same? Kross delivers several suplex variations to his opponents. So, the least he can do is take a few bumps in return?

Taking bumps in a match is its own animal. Timing, psychology, and trust are all factors that contribute to a wrestler throwing themselves on their back to create the illusion that they have been knocked down by a thunderous blow and battered by a bone-crushing maneuver.

Continue reading →

Top 50 WrestleMania Matches of All Time

Since 1985, WrestleMania has been WWE’s premier event—a can’t-miss phenomenon of sport and spectacle that transcends professional wrestling. The greatest moments, most heated rivalries, and biggest matches are reserved for the “Showcase of the Immortals.”

Fans often debate what the greatest WrestleMania matches are, resulting in a wide range of opinions. For many fans, the match between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III stands out. It is a cultural cornerstone of the industry. It is iconic for some, while others consider it unspectacular.

Every list and ranking of this nature is subjective. My list is no more important or better than anyone else’s. Fans watch wrestling for different reasons: some appreciate the athleticism, while others are drawn to the drama. Many enjoy wrestling for all it has to offer.

WrestleMania often reflects the industry at its best. The combination of pomp and pageantry creates seminal moments and legendary matches that leave a lasting impression on the hearts and souls of every wrestling fan.

With so many great matches to consider, compiling this list was a challenge. Without further ado, here are Ringside Logic’s 50 Greatest WrestleMania Matches.

Continue reading →

Brock Lesnar’s WWE Return: Rumors Resurface

The rumor of Brock Lesnar’s return resurfaces frequently, but sources with an excellent track record confirmed the story this time. While not surprising, it’s still disappointing.

Lesnar was last seen getting ousted by Cody Rhodes, the company’s top star, fourteen months ago. Since then, WWE has thrived like never before, and to be blunt, the company has moved past the need for Lesnar.

While Lesnar wasn’t named in the Janel Grant lawsuit, the Wall Street Journal and the Mr. McMahon Netflix documentary identified him as the former UFC fighter referenced. The suit alleges Vince McMahon used Grant as a sexual bargaining chip while negotiating to re-sign Lesnar in 2021.

Continue reading →

Stardom’s HANAKO challenges for MLW Title at Summer of the Beasts

Major League Wrestling sent out the following:

Watch MLW Summer of the Beasts live for free on MLW’s YouTube Channel.

MLW announced an MLW Women’s World Featherweight Championship bout: Janai Kai (champion) vs. HANAKO at MLW Summer of the Beasts, live for free on YouTube on Thursday, August 29, at the Melrose Ballroom in New York City.

Continue reading →

Thank You, Paul London!

I’m baaaack! Wow, it’s been seven months. Don’t worry—as the kids say, I got the deets. Seriously, though, my personal life is usually persona non grata on the site. However, I want to explain my absence and how wrestling became some much-needed soul soup.

Illness, surgery, post-surgery complications, and COVID put me down for the count. I was in pain, which seemed endless. Desperate for relief, I withdrew from everyday life, only appearing where the obligation trumped expectation. A brave face and a big smile became the mask of an endless front.

Meanwhile, an independent wrestling promotion, Royal Crown Wrestling, announced that former WWE superstar Paul London would appear on an upcoming show in my area. I couldn’t mark the date on my calendar fast enough.

Most people cheer on the titans of their favorite genre while gaining a deep appreciation for the work, talent, and skill of an underrated and, perhaps, unappreciated few. For me, it’s Sam Cassell in basketball, Reggie Wayne in football, Max Rebo in Star Wars, and Paul London in professional wrestling.

Continue reading →

Goldberg: Hall of Fame Worthy?

WWE announced last week that Bill Goldberg will headline the 2018 class of the WWE Hall of Fame. Goldberg’s popularity is undeniable, however, his body of work and lack of longevity calls into question the legitimacy of his pending induction.

Former WWE writer Kevin Eck wrote an article explaining why he believes Goldberg doesn’t deserve to be in the Hall of Fame and has a valid argument. Still, the intangibles of Goldberg’s career represent more than a quantified metric of success.

Continue reading “Goldberg: Hall of Fame Worthy?” →

The Impact of Global Force Wrestling

Hell froze over last Wednesday when Jeff Jarrett entered the ring on Impact Wrestling while wearing a t-shirt of his own start-up promotion, Global Force Wrestling. The TNA founder announced his participation in the King of the Mountain match to be held at the Slammiversary, which he ended up winning.

This is all very intriguing considering Jeff Jarrett left the company on poor terms.

Continue reading “The Impact of Global Force Wrestling” →

Tag Team Wrestling in ECW

The design of Tag Team wrestling is to increase the amount of action and drama in a particular match. Four wrestlers can pull off certain moves and tell certain stories that two wrestlers alone could never do, such as blind tags and double team maneuvers.

ECW revolutionized the wrestling business in the 90’s with hardcore action, mature storylines, and highly technical and competitive matches showcasing different styles. Their tag team division was not only a pivotal part of the show, but they exuded the essence of the art by increasing the excitement in a promotion that was already extreme.

My latest column at What Culture.com reviews the best tag teams that ever graced the land of extreme. What qualifies someone as being the best? Championships do. Click here to check out 10 Best ECW Tag Team Champions Ever