John Cena Criticized for Lacking the “It Factor” in His WWE Career

WWE legend Jake “The Snake” Roberts isn’t sold on John Cena’s legacy, claiming the 16-time World Champion never had that “it factor.”

Speaking on The Snake Pit podcast, Roberts was asked whether now was the right time for Cena to turn heel. He agreed, pointing out that Cody Rhodes is WWE’s top babyface now, so it makes sense for Cena to step into the villain role.

“Yeah, absolutely. Sure, why not? It’s time for it for a couple reasons. Number one, Cody’s your top babyface now. So you gotta get those other guys out of there, so he’s the only one. To turn him heel, he’s gonna wind up putting Cody over, which is what they want.”

But things got even more interesting when Roberts was asked if Cena had the “it” factor that defines wrestling’s greatest stars. His answer? A brutal no.

“I don’t think he did. I don’t feel it. Nothing personal. But I just always struggle with him. He just doesn’t have that magic in him, man. His interviews are okay, and his work was good, very good. But he didn’t have that oomph. He had to work really hard.”

Love him or hate him, John Cena has been one of the biggest names in wrestling for nearly two decades. But if you ask Jake Roberts, the success didn’t come from natural charisma—it came from grinding it out.

With Cena’s villain era in full swing, the debate is hotter than ever. Was he truly missing that “oomph,” or is Roberts just not seeing what millions of fans already know? Drop your thoughts in the comments!