Over the years, it's become clear that WWE hasn't produced any true stars on the level of The Rock or Stone Cold Steve Austin. The company has arguably the best roster in all of professional wrestling, but there always seems to be a glass ceiling put on many of the WWE performers that restricts them from reaching their full potential.
Recently on
The Jim Ross Report, WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross spoke to Bully Ray, and
Wrestling Inc has provided a transcription of the WWE Hall of Famer discussing why he believes that the company will never again let any superstar become as famous as John Cena, stating that you have to be chosen to be at the top of the mountain in WWE:
"[Ross] know[s] damn well that you don't go to the top of the mountain and stay at the top of the mountain unless you are chosen to be at the top of the mountain," Bully declared.
"And that's not the way it was. One of [Ross's] best friends in the [pro] wrestling business and in real life is a guy named 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin. He was told to never talk. What would've happened if he never grabbed that microphone and never would have said, Austin 3:16 means I just whooped your ass'? Now, back then, it worked. Now, if you're not told to say something like that, how can you ever get to the top of the mountain?"
Bully also noted the company’s fears of talent leaving as a possible reason for WWE not allowing anyone to reach the level of John Cena:
"Seth Rollins has done it all and can do it all. But how come Seth Rollins is not at Cena level? How come he's not at Rock level? How come he's not at Austin level? It's because I don't think they will ever allow anyone to get to that level again." Bully explained,
"if you take the three biggest stars over the last 20-some-odd years, would you say that Cena, Austin, and The Rock are the three biggest ones? Okay, so those three guys in their own way do what they wanted to do without Vince's approval. Listen, Steve was able to walk out and still come back and have a job. [Ross] helped out a lot, but not a lot of people walk out and come back in the next day. Rocky was able to walk away and become the biggest star in Hollywood. And John, my God! He just won the Muhammad Ali Award. He [has] granted more wishes than anybody on the planet. I mean, he walks on water when it comes to the WWE. And he was able to tell Vince, 'I'm not [going to Saudi Arabia].' I don't think they're ever going to let anybody get to that level again where they have control or say."