You Can't See Me
"John, guys like you bury guys like me." Aj retorts.
That catches him off guard.
For a brief moment he thinks of Zach Ryder, thinks of Damien Sandow, of Umaga, and others. He flashes back to the endings of his feuds with Ryback and with The Miz. Thinks about ruining Brock Lesnar's famous return. And he knows the other man isn't completely wrong.
He tries not to give Styles any facial expression to go off of, doesn't like giving others the satisfaction that what's being said finally strikes a nerve. And all he can think about was who the hell this guy thought he was to come out like this; like he owned the place.
But deep down he knows he gets it, gets the whole making a name for himself kind of thing. He wants to have a place in the business he wants, one he can be proud of. He wants to be one of the great ones no matter how much he has to scratch, claw, and stumble to get it. Understandable. Hell, it's been years but he remembers his own day view like it was yesterday. Remembers marching up to the ring for the first time in his neon short shorts and knee high boots, looking Kurt Angle in the eye and proclaiming he had what it takes, had 'ruthless aggression'. Remembers the rush and the desperation, the excitement and the nervousness. And when the crowd cheers for you for the first time you feel it vibrate in your very soul. He remembers soaking as much of it in as he could. The sound stays with you in the back of your mind for the rest of your life. He gets it.
So the 'phenomenal' man can push and poke where he wants. Can run around and strut his stuff. He may have had experience else where, but here he's still new, still a rookie. And if he's trying to change that, good for him. So John lets him come out here and talk crap, spew insult after insult like he knows what he's proclaiming, say all the things he's heard before. Let him talk big and bad.
But he isn't Jericho. The name John Cena won't be stomped on just so Aj Styles is a bit higher in popularity. He's never took anything without dishing some back out. He may have just got back, but he's John Cena, and maybe some people say he sucks, scream at the top of their lungs they hate him, yell every week about how he can't wrestle. But he likes to think he means something to people in a good way too. He knows he is where he belongs and he doesn't have to shout it at the rooftops like the man before him.
He doesn't want to bury anybody.
But he's damn sure there's no way in hell he'll let himself be walked upon.
He's John Cena, and a guy like Aj Styles can't see him.
.