5 Biggest takeaways from John Cena vs Roman Reigns

The old is always succeeded by the new. It's a time-tested, proven theory, especially in the WWE.

And even if you're John Cena's most ardent fan, splurging on his merchandise and imbibing the values of Hustle, Loyalty and Respect in your own life, you could probably see a Roman Reigns victory at No Mercy coming from a mile away.

That said, there were moments during the match - namely the AA off the second rope or the rolling double AA - when you'd have thought Cena may pull off the improbable...but they were pretty short lived as all it took was one Superman Punch - Spear combination for Reigns to get the three count in the end.

But as predictable as the result was, even during the back-and-forth build to the match, there were a handful of talking points that emerged from the way things went down at the Staples Center in L.A.

Was there something to be made of John Cena's parting bow to the WWE Universe after the contest?

Did he manage to pull that little something extra out of Roman Reigns throughout the duration of the heated feud?

And how does the Undertaker — if at all — fit into the picture here?

Hoping to address these points and more, here are 5 takeaways worth discussing from the John Cena vs Roman Reigns match at No Mercy.

#1 A sign of things to come?

One of the most enjoyable things about the whole John Cena-Roman Reigns storyline has been how hard-hitting and relatable the verbal exchanges have been.

By allowing both men complete freedom to castigate one another on the microphone, the WWE created one of the feuds of the year in the span of just 3 short weeks.

And if you recall right, the storylines that really resonate with us as an audience — Miz's spat with Cena, Daniel Bryan's rise against the machine, CM Punk pipebomb — are the ones that stem from reality.

And even in Cena's drawn-out feud against the Rock, there were elements of it on display that helped sustain interest over two years.

In a nutshell, the WWE seems to have stumbled on a very useful tool in getting the WWE Universe invested in storylines by cleverly drawing back the veil of kayfabe when required.

And judging by how vibrant and must-see Roman Reigns came across these past few weeks, I wouldn't be averse to them using it again.

#2 Has Reigns reached the promised land?

Is Roman Reigns finally ready for his coronation?

While gracing Raw Talk, John Cena mentioned something to the effect of drawing out that extra 'oomph' factor from Roman Reigns during the course of the storyline...but did he manage it successfully?

Yes, Reigns did seem much more fluent, forthcoming and bold on the microphone but was that all that was lacking in his quest to be universally accepted as the Guy in the WWE?

As Cena himself highlighted during the intense back-and-forth segment that kicked off their feud, the fans don't know whether to cheer or boo Roman Reigns because they sense that he's holding something back...that he's got more to him than he's letting on.

But while we collectively appreciated the candour from Cena, can we honestly say that Reigns has become a better man for it after No Mercy?

There were indeed glimpses of no-filter badassery from Reigns that resonated with the audience beyond the cheering and booing — which is exactly what the WWE is looking for —but can we safely assume that he will remain this way without having a John Cena-esque figure around to draw it out of him every time?

I wouldn't cross my fingers...but I certainly hope so.

#3 Is this it for John Cena?

When John Cena lost to the Rock at WrestleMania 28, there was a sense of disappointment...even dejection that emanated from him.

But after losing to Roman Reigns at No Mercy, John Cena's bow to the audience seemed to betray an undercurrent of unmistakable relief.

Through the torrents of vitriol that he's endured with a smile on his face and a spring in his step this past decade, it would seem that, finally, the John Cena machine has run its course; that he's ready to move on to the next phase in his life after passing the proverbial torch to Roman Reigns.

Indeed, he himself admitted to as much in his candid and emotional Raw Talk interview after the event.

So is this the last we've seen of John Cena, the wrestler?

I'm guessing not, but perhaps it's time to start appreciating the man for all his contributions because who's to say we'll get too many more chances to do so?

#4 No Country for Old Men

Was this indeed the end of the Undertaker?

It was widely rumoured that the Undertaker would be in Los Angeles and intercede at the end of the match to set up a Survivor Series/WrestleMania swansong against John Cena.

But as you'd have figured out by now, there was absolutely no sign of him.

So was this a baseless rumour that only propagated through the interwebs because the wrestling community, as a whole, felt the Undertaker was still owed a grander, more definitive send-off than was afforded at WrestleMania 33?

Or did the WWE actually intend for him to intervene but nix the idea at the last moment?

Either way, the Phenom's WWE future requires resolution.

At the very least, a storyline confirmation from Michael Cole and co. that the Undertaker was indeed retired by Roman Reigns wouldn't go amiss

#5 Cena v 2.0?

Roles reversed? — Is Reigns more like Cena than we'd care to admit

"A cheap-ass corporately created John Cena bootleg"

That is exactly what John Cena referred to Roman Reigns as when he lent into him on the microphone before the duo signed the contract for their No Mercy match.

Some would agree with the statement...but most discerning fans would take it with a pinch of salt.

After all, whatever else the differences between the two men, 'Super' Cena has always been characterized by how much talent he buried when he was on top; how strong he was made to look at the expense of others.

And Roman Reigns, boring though he is accused of being from time to time, hasn't earned himself quite the same level of notoriety...yet

At No Mercy, John Cena hit Roman Reigns with a barrage of AAs. One of them was even from the second rope. And the Big Dog kicked out of all of them.

When Cena punched Reigns, the Samoan would be sent back a step or two by the impact. But when Reigns threw hands, Dolph Ziggler would have been proud of how much Cena flopped around for him.

And in the end, all it took was one Superman punch and one spear to wrap up Cena's futile resistance.

Personally, I felt the way it ended was a little bit of an anti-climax...a meek finish after an explosive build to the match.

But the message relayed by the WWE was loud and clear. Roman Reigns was made to look immensely strong...at the expense of John Cena.

History, it would seem, is repeating itself after all.

And it isn't without a sense of irony either.

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