Seemingly every era of WWE is defined by their biggest star. From Bruno Sammartino to Bob Backlund to Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and then John Cena, Superstars come and go, but not before leaving a permanent mark on the industry.

But, top guys are few and far between, as there just aren't many men Vince McMahon, and his father before him, trust to be the face of the promotion.

But, with Cena all but officially a legacy act, having wrestled single-digit matches for several years in a row, who is the “next John Cena,” a man who could headline any arena in the world, sell a ton of merch, and get a massive reaction from the fans in Greece, Ghana, and Greensboro alike? Well, in the opinion of Paul Heyman on Rick Rubin's Tetragrammaton podcast, WWE doesn't have to search for the “next John Cena,” as they already have the “Dr. of Thuganomics Jr.” under contract, and he currently resides on the Island of Relevancy… or Pensacola, Florida, depending on who you ask.

“When someone beats Brock Lesnar, they are instantly made in the same way that Brock Lesnar is instantly made. The moment the referee’s hand hits three at WrestleMania 30, signifying Brock had conquered the streak, and we had someone in mind to be the next big thing, the company’s next big star. The guy that would pull the wagon, the successor to John Cena, the person to become the one who beat the one in 21-1. We had someone in mind, even at that time. Do you know who that person was? Roman Reigns.”

Wait, so you're telling me that Roman Reigns, a man who has shared the ring on 94 occasions, according to Cagematch, is the next John Cena? Can a 38-year-old man who currently holds the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship – an accomplishment Cena never achieved – be WWE's next great babyface star, especially when he is not a babyface? Well, if Heyman's qualification for the “next John Cena” is simply being the top drawing star in the promotion, then yes, the “Tribal Chief” has firmly cemented himself in that spot and lapped the competition multiple times over.

If, however, Heyman is specifically referring to an in-ring superhero, well, Reigns will probably never be that guy, as his catchphrase isn't “acknowledge me, say your prayers, and eat your vitamins.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5v327D8YhY&t=1s

Paul Heyman lauds John Cena for his ruthless generosity.

Elsewhere on Rick Rubin's Tetragrammaton podcast – the show is over three hours long, there is a lot of material – Heyman decided to discuss Cena further, and lauded the 16-time champion for his charitable efforts, with “The Champ” having to be strong-armed into making his involvement with Make-A-Wish public. In the opinion of the ECW owner, that is the mark of a true hero.

“I don't have the words to convey the admiration I have for John Cena as a human being,” Heyman said on Rubin's Tetragrammaton podcast via Bleacher Report. “There had to come a point in time where Vince had to sit down with John and say, ‘You need to let me go public with these Make-A-Wish visits. You have to. You know you're hurting Make-A-Wish by not allowing me to do that because if people understood how much of your time you give to Make-A-Wish and to these kids, they'll be inclined to contribute.

Cena has accomplished a lot in his professional wrestling career; he's worked over 1200 matches, held every title in WWE over this era, and even helped to make a few stars along the way, even if some think his nickname should be “The Undertaker,” what with all of the Superstars he's buried over his 20-year career with The Fed. Still, if you ask the star of Blockers, Bumblebee, The Marine, Fast X, and one episode of Psych – plus Psych: The Movie – his biggest accomplishment will forever be holding the Guinness Book of World Records record for the most Make-A-Wish wishes granted at 650 and counting. While wrestling, acting, and hosting can be incredibly rewarding, incredibly fun, and incredibly lucrative, especially for someone with Cena's comedic timing, leaving a lasting impact on a child who is dealing with a terminal health condition is the most important contribution the 16-time WWE champion can make to the world.