Has John Cena lost his gimmick?

The rapper thing ended a while ago, and thank god for that

He's John Cena from West Newburry, MA who according to Booker T, has managed to overcome his lack of wrestling skill to become a 12-time World/WWE Champion. He lives by Hustle, Loyalty and Respect, and doesn't act like something he's not, which causes some to love him and some to hate him.

That simple.

Just like a majority of the roster.

pretty much. I hate how everyone says Cena has no gimmick like anyone else does. Everyone wears plain trunks and is just normal guys now.

He still has a toned-down version of the hip-hop gimmick: hand gestures, catch phrases, brightly-colored Ts/caps, low-hanging jorts.

I wish he would go completely to a Marine persona now, because it looks out-of-place for a man in his mid-30s to be dressing/acting like he's in Jr. high.

During his whole time of doing the colors and stuff, his gimmick was being a big kid.

Only a child would sensibly wear bright shirts with matching baseball caps with jean shorts and sneakers - it made kids relatable to him because he looked like some kind of big kid.

Heres how I pan it out:
2003-2005: Rapper
2006-2008: Rough and Tough knuckle-bralwer overcoming adversity of peers and viewers with words to live by
2009-2011: Colorful big kid, with business attitude
Late 2011-?: [Seemingly] An anti-bully enforcer with a patriotic overtone.

And he transitions well. He still keeps traits from all of his prior gimmicks. He managed to keep Rapper traits during the rest of his gimmicks, managed to keep his words to live by continuing today, and bleeds his business now as much as he bleeds Red White and Blue.

Byron and Grotesque sum it all up for me.

WWE Superstars don't need 'gimmicks'. The Rock and Stone Cold were just guys in black tights, and they were awesome.

He is the PG hero and Superman. He fights the evil heels and over comes them thru super human strength and amazing will power. If Cena is outmatched in skills , he powers he way thru like Hulk Hogan did, if he is out muscled he over comes it thru his heart and will to never give up.

Being serious , this is how I see his "gimmick"

But CM Punk is the Waffle House guy...

I love how everyone says gimmicks suck but that is what is stopping guys from differentiating themselves. Cody Rhodes has a gimmick and I think he is incredible, easily one of the most entertaining guys on the roster imo. Stone Cold Steve Austin was himself but his gimmick was a take no poop redneck.

I think the reason guys like Cena and Orton have gotten so boring is they have no gimmick. John Cena the rapper was awesome, Randy Orton the Legend Killer was awesome, but where is that creativity now? Everything is so bland. I'm not saying I need to see garbage men, convicts, or fake muscle suits but is it really that much to ask for guys to have a gimmick?

Zack Ryder is an extension of his Long Island self. That is kind of along the lines of Austin being an extension of a redneck. Those are the types of things I like to see personally. Obviously, not everything is going to be as creative as Rhodes, but guys need to give us a reason as to why they are special.

Also, Punk is awesome, but he spent two years doing a WWE version of his Straight Edge gimmick, that sort of molded into Jesus. Then he molded that into a dictator type with Nexus, and then he turned it into the anti establishment, anti hero, babyface (ala SCSA). I would say right now he is in gimmick flux because I don't think we know exactly who CM Punk is at the moment, not since MITB. At some point he will need direction again imo.