A WWE superstar on the Monday Night Raw brand has responded to John Cena teasing a match against him.
Cena is no longer on the year-after-year grind in WWE. He has longed paid his dues and has become a hot ticket in Hollywood.
With that said, the “Doctor of Thuganomics” still makes room for WWE whenever he can.
Theory Fires Back At John Cena
During a recent TikTok fan Q&A, John Cena said his favorite current WWE superstar is Theory. He also said the WWE United States Champion is the most in need of an Attitude Adjustment.
Both times, Cena pointed to his eyes and back at the camera in a clear sign that he’s targeting Theory.
Vince McMahon’s new “chosen one” took to his Twitter account to respond to Cena’s hint.
For weeks, Theory has been trying to goad John Cena into facing him. He even teased putting the U.S. gold on the line against Cena at SummerSlam this July.
Theory has a title defense scheduled for Hell in a Cell on June 5. He will be taking on Mustafa Ali inside the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.
During the video, WWE’s golden goose was asked who his favorite WWE superstar is. His answer was Theory, and Cena pointed toward his eyes and the camera as if to say he has the WWE United States Champion on his radar.
Cena was then asked which WWE superstar is in need of an Attitude Adjustment. Again, his answer was Theory and he made the same gesture.
Theory has been attempting to egg Cena on in recent weeks. He claims to be a far superior athlete than Cena and says he’s accomplished what Cena couldn’t, and that’s being the youngest U.S. champion in WWE.
WWE United States Champion Theory is confident he’ll one-day face-off with John Cena after having a back-and-forth over social media earlier this year.
After winning the U.S. Title in April 2022, Theory quickly declared himself a better champion than John Cena, a five-time holder of the star-spangled strap.
Cena responded by issuing Theory with a warning that the young Superstar will have to apologize years from now if what he achieves doesn’t live up to his potential.
The WWE United States Champion has even gone so far as to tease a match with Cena at this year’s Summerslam.
While speaking with The New York Post, Theory was asked about a match with the 16-time WWE World Champion and explained what it would mean to him.
“When that moment happens and I’m in the ring with John Cena, man, I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what I’m gonna say. I don’t know. I have no idea just because like you’re saying and the way you spoke about it, I clearly know what it was like for me growing up watching John, just the story there and how much we’d actually have for a story. Man, that’s just so crazy to me. I see it happening for sure.”
No matches have been confirmed by WWE for this year’s Summerslam, which will take place on July 30, at the Nissan Stadium, in Nashville.
Kurt Angle admits he tried to get John Cena to blow up during his WWE debut in 2002.
Cena debuted on a June 27 episode of SmackDown, answering an open challenge from Angle at the time. Just days before the episode, Vince McMahon said on RAW that he wanted to see “ruthless aggression.”
When Angle asked what Cena possesses that makes him think he can get into the ring with an Olympic Gold Medalist, Cena answered by saying “ruthless aggression,” and smacking Angle before starting their match.
Angle ultimately wound up winning the match, but Cena certainly put up a great fight, impressing many in his debut.
Recently, Angle reflected on the moment during an episode of his podcast, “The Kurt Angle Show.”
Prior to their matchup, after finding out they’d be working together that night, Angle said Cena was very respectful towards him. He then noted he wanted to give him the “Angle test” inside the ring.
Angle admitted he wanted to make the match non-stop action, in an attempt to “blow up” Cena, or get him tired. However, Angle says that never happened, and Cena passed the test with flying colors.
“They told me the day of the show I was gonna wrestle John Cena. He came up to me and said, ‘Hey, Mr. Angle, I’m John Cena.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, and I’m gonna be working you tonight. It’s gonna be an honor to get in the ring with you.’ He was very respectful. You know what I tried to do with John?
“I really wanted him to take the test – the Angle test. I tried to blow him up and get him tired. I put the match together, and it was only 11 minutes.
“I made sure it was nonstop action and I wanted John to blow up. I wanted to take this monster-looking character, this Greek god, and show everybody how tired I could make him.
“And he didn’t get tired. The son of a bitch passed the test with flying colors. It was crazy.”
While Cena certainly impressed Angle inside the ring, his performance wasn’t completely flawless. Angle said he didn’t move as fluid as other wrestlers inside the ring, but made up for it with hard work.
“His moveset in the ring was awesome. He had a great moveset. He worked really hard – good-looking kid, great build.
“His only downfall was, you could tell the way he moved around that he’s not quite as fluid as other wrestlers.
“He’s more choppy and a little bit more uncoordinated, but he makes up for that with hard work. Being able to do what he does – nobody knew at this time how good a promo he cut.
“So, this was kind of a pleasant surprise when he eventually started doing it.”
John Cena says he’s been gone from WWE for too long and hopes to return sometime in the near future.
The 16-time world champion was in NYC on Wednesday for Warner Bros. Discovery’s upfronts event, where TV networks pitch their upcoming lineups to prospective advertisers. Cena was on hand to promote the new season of his game show Wipeout that airs on TBS.
John Cena Talks WWE Return
Street journalist Adam Glyn caught up with Cena on Wednesday and addressed the upcoming 20th anniversary of John Cena’s WWE television debut.
Cena’s WWE debut took place on the June 27, 2022 edition of SmackDown, when he answered an open challenge by Kurt Angle. Even though he came up short that night, he earned the respect of The Undertaker, who greeted him backstage and shook his hand in a sign of respect.
Cena says he knows the 20th anniversary milestone is fast approaching.
“I know in WWE years I turn 20 pretty soon, so that’s a pretty big thing, and from a pretty storied class of folks: Batista, Randy Orton, Brock who kind of all turned 20 this year,” said Cena I’m aware that that’s coming around the corner — and who knows?”
Cena still loves wrestling, but he’s got a lot of projects going on and it’s hard to turn down opportunities that present themselves.
That said, Cena admits he’s been gone for “too long” and hopes to be back in the mix with WWE sooner than later.
“I don’t know when I’ll be back but hopefully it’s soon. I’ve been gone for too long.”
– John Cena
Cena’s most recent televised match occurred last year at SummerSlam, when he lost to Roman Reigns. Back in September, as last year’s ‘Summer of Cena’ was winding down, he competed in a 6-man tag match at Madison Square Garden house show. Cena and the Mysterios defeated The Bloodline.
What’s Next for Cena?
If and when John Cena does return to WWE, he’s got a high-profile feud waiting for him. Theory, the reigning United States Champion, has been talking about Cena a lot lately.
Below, you can check out some of our recent coverage of Theory calling out Cena:
MJF has been the talk of the town and in 2024, he’ll be the biggest story in wrestling.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman is a top heel in AEW and even though he’s a star now, the 26-year-old hasn’t even scratched the surface. Many see Plainview’s finest as a major player in the industry for years to come.
While AEW has its golden goose for now, things could change in 2024. That’s when MJF’s contract with the company will expire. Reports have claimed that MJF is a bit unhappy with Tony Khan after a chat regarding taking media interviews without permission.
While that ultimately could turn out to be nothing, Maxwell has teased testing the market both on and off-air. It’s left many wondering if MJF will be making the big jump to WWE.
If he does, here are five WWE superstars who would be perfect opponents for him:
The Miz
(via WWE)
You knew this was coming, so might as well get it out of the way now. If WWE signs MJF, he’s bound to have a program with The Miz. Wrestling fans have long made comparisons between the two.
It makes sense. After all, both characters have a sense of entitlement, enjoy the finer things in life, and think they’re better than everyone else.
Heck, CM Punk even referred to MJF as a “less famous Miz” during their AEW feud.
MJF and The Miz have actually exchanged pleasantries. Back in late 2021, Maxwell appeared on SiriusXM’s Throwing Down with Renee & Miesha and he expressed his belief that Miz is “tremendous” as a performer.
Miz returned the favor, telling Peter Rosenberg that MJF is no copycat. Miz also said he feels MJF has done a great job in a short period of time.
Kevin Owens
(via WWE)
When you think of Kevin Owens, you don’t think of the prototypical WWE superstar.
KO is so good that he ended up being a Swiss army knife for Vince McMahon’s empire. You can put Owens in any role and he’s going to succeed.
For a feud with MJF to work, however, there’s no doubt that Owens will have to play the babyface role. Maxwell would thrive in this situation being the snotty, rich brat running down the hardworking Owens who was never meant to grace the cover of GQ Magazine.
As a heel, Owens has a way of making the audience hate him. As a face, he’ll make the WWE Universe love him. He’d be the perfect good guy in this feud.
This would be a home run.
John Cena
(via WWE)
This one is a bit tougher to pull off since John Cena is a busy man these days with Hollywood.
With that said, this would be a fantastic rivalry.
When you think back to Cena’s feuds with the likes of AJ Styles, Roman Reigns, and others, he always brought straight heat on the mic. He and MJF would have some memorable verbal battles and the match would also likely deliver.
As he proved during his rivalry with Styles, Cena does a great job handling programs with stars who had been established in another promotion. He knows how to hit close to home with his words and sell the audience on the significance of the match.
If MJF ends up in WWE and Cena’s schedule allows for it, this match is a must.
Roman Reigns
Photo: WWE.com
Roman Reigns is easily the top star in WWE today.
Ever since transitioning to his “Tribal Chief” character, his stock has soared. Reigns has been such a dominant force that he’s running out of legit contenders on TV.
If MJF enters WWE and feuds with Reigns, fans will get the added bonus of witnessing Maxwell and Paul Heyman go at it on the mic. Much like Cena, Heyman knows how to make things more personal and he’d likely do the same for an MJF-Reigns storyline.
The idea behind Reigns’ character is that he thinks he’s in “God Mode.” All of the opposition are supposed to fear him but MJF is quick-witted and would greatly challenge the “Head of the Table” in promo battles.
The question is, will Roman Reigns be around in 2024 if MJF makes the jump?
Reigns has signed a new deal to take fewer dates and some question whether or not he’ll be on his way out of WWE sooner rather than later should Hollywood come calling.
Cody Rhodes
This one is a no-brainer.
There is simply too much history between MJF and Cody Rhodes to ignore. The two had been booked as best friends on AEW TV until Maxwell turned on Cody by booting him in the nether regions.
The two ultimately collided at the AEW Revolution PPV back in Feb. 2020. MJF emerged victorious, putting an end to their rivalry although it definitely felt like there was some unfinished business that would be addressed after some time passed.
Cody made the shocking jump to WWE at WrestleMania 38 back in April. For WWE to book a high-profile feud with two of AEW’s golden boys would probably be a huge feather in the cap of company officials.
There’s no doubt Cody would push for this to happen if WWE snags MJF and he’d likely get his wish.
It’s no secret that WWE is high on Theory. The 24-year-old has been seen on WWE TV as Vince McMahon’s new “chosen one.”
He is the current WWE United States Champion and after he defeated Finn Balor for the gold, he was surrounded by a group of fellow heels in celebration.
Theory recently tried ruffling the feathers of Cena, saying he’s a better U.S. Champion than the “Doctor of Thuganomics” ever was.
Cena responded by saying that while Theory has talent, he better be able to back up his words.
Everyone understands that you have far more talent, strength, and gifts than I ever had. Don’t apologize for that. Ever. An apology should come 20 years from now if you fail to provide the EFFORT needed to turn your potential into your legacy. I hope that day never comes. ? https://t.co/3apKiTwgDw
During an appearance on WWE’s The Bump, Theory said he’s already reached heights that John Cena couldn’t.
“Yeah, I think the pressure is definitely applied now. It’s always been there, though for myself since I was 12 years old and I knew I wanted to be in WWE.
“I did everything that I could to get there and that’s why I’m here at such a young age. John Cena was always an inspiration but I think that right there just kinda hammered the nail down.
“It’s like the pressure’s on, and I get where he’s coming from but at the end of the day, I’m doing achievements that John Cena hasn’t. I’m the youngest United States Champion in WWE history.”
Theory went on to say that while he’s flattered by the Cena comparisons, he wants to surpass what the “Babe Ruth of WWE” accomplished.
“I have so much respect for John Cena and I like the comparisons, I appreciate them but I’m in my own lane. I’m gonna do things that John Cena’s never done.”
Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline took to Wrestling Observer Live to report that Vince McMahon sees Theory as the next John Cena. A match between the two wouldn’t exactly come as a shock and Theory has even hinted at the showdown taking place at SummerSlam.
Former WWE World Champion John Cena was told that he would never turn heel during his time as the face of the company.
Except for a brief run as a villain from 2002-to 2003, Cena spent his entire WWE career as a babyface, despite fans calling on WWE to turn “Big Match John” heel during his main-event run.
Appearing as a guest on In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast to discuss his career, Cena recalled being told that he would remain a good guy for the rest of his time in the ring.
“I was made aware that I would not undergo a tectonic shift [heel turn] in John Cena, the character, probably around 2009. So that allowed me to get that conversation off the board.”
John Cena
Despite this edict, Cena has said he was close to turning for his WrestleMania 28 match with The Rock in 2012.
Vince McMahon reportedly considered the idea but backed out when Cena said it would be difficult to turn him back into a babyface.
What’s next for John Cena?
Is WWE planning on a United States Championship match between Cena and Theory?
With his career growing in Hollywood, Cena has become less available for WWE, even missing the last two WrestleManias.
It has been reported that WWE has plans for Cena to return next month to build towards a match at Summerslam 2022.
No opponent has been confirmed for the rumored match but United States Champion Theory has teased facing Cena this July.
John Cena would welcome the chance to reprise his role as John Triton in ‘The Marine’ movie franchise. The 16-time World Champion admits he regrets not giving his all for his starring role in the 2006 film.
The Marine, one of the few WWE Studios films to make it to the silver screen, told the (fictional) story of a discharged marine who goes on a one-man mission to rescue his wife from kidnappers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6eMP_4LP3g
To have time off for the project, Cena was written off WWE TV in late 2004 by being ‘stabbed’ in the kidney by Carlito’s then-bodyguard, Jesús.
“I’ve always wanted to do another Marine because so many folks talk to me about The Marine,” said Cena. “I can’t believe it. And it was actually something I wasn’t really proud of because that’s a situation where I look back and say I didn’t give my all.
“As a young man, I wanted to be in the middle of the rock star life. I wanted to be in front of those sold-out crowds. And then I get to a quiet movie set where everything takes forever, and I just didn’t have the wisdom or the knowledge or the perception to realize how big of an opportunity it was.”
“It was actually something I wasn’t really proud of because that’s a situation where I look back and say I didn’t give my all.”
John Cena
Cena’s transition to Hollywood
From left to right: Polka Dot Man (David Dastmalchian,) Peacemaker (Cena,) Bloodsport (Idris Elba,) and Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior) from 2021’s The Suicide Squad.
While Cena isn’t proud of his work in ‘The Marine,’ the former WWE World Champion is becoming a hot commodity in Hollywood.
In 2019, Cena played ‘Jakob Toretto,’ the vengeful brother of Fast and Furious lead Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) in the ninth installment in the franchise.
Last year, Cena won over crowds as Christopher ‘Peacemaker’ Smith in DC Comics production ‘The Suicide Squad,’ a role which was reportedly meant for fellow wrestler Dave Batista.
Peacemaker has since gone on to have his own series for HBO Max.
Returning to the ring
Cena’s busy acting schedule has made him appear less for WWE, even missing the past two WrestleManias, but the former World Champion could be coming back very soon.
In April 2022, it was reported that WWE has plans for Cena to return in the build-up to this year’s Summerslam.
John Cena says WWE fans have taught him many lessons that they are not even aware of. He says these lessons have helped him shape into a better person.
John Cena said this when he appeared on an episode of Backstage’s In the Envelope where he talked about his acting career. During the interview, he also thanked WWE fans for teaching him a lot of values and said that he can’t wait to let them know.
“There will come a time where I’ll be able to thank the WWE audience for all that they have taught me. That’s not just from a professional standpoint. They made me into the man I am, straight up, especially in lessons like humility and failure, persistence, countless things that they will never understand,” Cena said (as transcribed by Fightful).
“When I hear something from you like, ‘I watched WrestleMania 21’ or Austin Theory, for example, ‘I watched John Cena as a kid and Never Give Up got me through a lot of stuff and that’s why I’m here now.’ I don’t think he realizes what he did for me,” Cena continued. “It’s not just from a profession. I reference WWE in my daily life, it’s something I’m forever grateful for, because it’s made me into the man that I am.”
Austin Theory has said before that John Cena is his inspiration and the reason why he got into wrestling. Theory suffered bullying growing up and Cena’s way of handling himself have him encouragement to push through the harder times. “For me growing up, I was bullied in school, and I didn’t have my dad in my life, so it kind of helped me, like just his attitude and the way he was and the way he carried himself, no matter what the situation was. John Cena just gave me that encouragement, and even if it sounds cheesy, just to never give up. I mean it’s true, and that’s what’s gotten me here so quick,” Theory has said about Cena.
While it’s no secret that WWE is pushing Theory as the next big thing, some reports are claiming that WWE is trying to make him the next Cena. Theory is even teasing a SummerSlam match with his icon.
Theory recently taunted a fan at ringside who was wearing Cena merch and claimed that he is a better United States Champion than Cena was. Cena responded by giving him some advice along with a warning.
The Thomas Ashbourne brand is set to roll out a slew of ready-to-drink cocktails. The brand has aligned with celebrities in order to help with the promotion of the products. Cena is one of them.
John Cena Partners With Thomas Ashbourne Brand
(via Thomas Ashbourne)
Each cocktail is attached to a celebrity. John Cena is tasked with pushing the old-fashioned drink.
Here’s what Thomas Ashbourne CEO Cara Kamenev had to say about the cocktail endeavor (via Bloomberg).
“These are not influencer deals, and these are not promotional or pay-for-post or anything like that. It was important to us that everyone came at it with an ownership mentality.”
Cena also chimed in, saying he’s learned quite a bit from conversations with the movers and shakers at Thomas Ashbourne.
“I got a lot of my business education after the events, being able to sit with the people I’ve watched and admired and we’ve shared beer and bourbon and a bunch of stories. That actually brought me here.”
Cena joins the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Rosario Dawson, Ashley Benson, Vanessa Hudgens, and Playboi Carti in the list of celebrities co-founding the cocktail drinks.
Over the past few years, Cena has turned his attention more towards Hollywood. Cena last wrestled back in Aug. 2021 for the WWE SummerSlam main event. He was pinned by Roman Reigns.
Theory is teasing a SummerSlam showdown with John Cena.
It’s no secret that WWE is pushing Theory as the next big thing. Theory is aligned with Vince McMahon on TV and has been labeled as the WWE Chairman’s new “Chosen One.” Some reports have even claimed that WWE is trying to make Theory the next John Cena.
Theory vs. John Cena At SummerSlam?
Theory recently took to Instagram Stories to drop a big tease regarding a potential match with Cena (h/t The Brass Ring).
Theory is the reigning United States Champion. He captured the gold on the April 18 episode of Raw. He pinned Finn Balor to win his first singles championship in WWE.
WWE seemingly dropped its own hint of a possible collision between Theory and Cena. During the April 25 episode of Raw, Mustafa Ali returned and said he was hoping Theory would have an open challenge for the United States Championship.
During John Cena’s runs with the United States gold back in 2015, he held open challenges with the title on the line. If Theory eventually does the same, then it would be yet another hint.
Theory stoked the flames of a potential rivalry, taking to social media to claim he’s a better U.S. champ than Cena was. Cena responded, warning Theory to not get too big for his britches.
Rapper Copywrite accuses John Cena of stealing his lines in a new “diss track” released earlier this week.
Cena used a rapper gimmick, the Doctor of Thugganomics, in the early days of his WWE career. He was cutting freestyle promos on his opponents and even put out a (pretty solid) rap album in 2005 titled, “You Can’t See Me.”
Copywrite’s new album, The High Exaulted II, contains a song called, “Spoiler Alert / Have U Cena?”
John Cena Diss Track: Audio & Lyrics
The diss track alleges that Cena stole lines from him during some of his pre-match freestyles.
The song includes clips of Cena using phrases that Copywrite claims to have written.
“Spoiler Alert / Have U Cena?” contains lyrics such as:
“Oh shit, so tell me, why John Cena wanna thief my old steez? I got the news from a fan out the blue, at first I didn’t think was the truth, ’til he sent the YouTube link as the proof, now I’m tryna think what to do”
…
“Mister, get it on your own merit. Bit it, It was so apparent. So bad with no swag, when he did it I was so embarrassed”
So, did John Cena steal lyrics from Copywrite?
You can listen to the song below and decide for yourself.
On Monday, Cena replied to Theory’s video with a sobering message. He acknowledges that Theory has the gifts to be a bigger star than he ever was. However, it takes a lot more than “potential” to become immortal.
“Everyone understands that you have far more talent, strength, and gifts than I ever had. Don’t apologize for that. Ever,” said Cena.
“An apology should come 20 years from now if you fail to provide the EFFORT needed to turn your potential into your legacy. I hope that day never comes.”
You can see John Cena and Theory’s exchange right here:
Everyone understands that you have far more talent, strength, and gifts than I ever had. Don’t apologize for that. Ever. An apology should come 20 years from now if you fail to provide the EFFORT needed to turn your potential into your legacy. I hope that day never comes. ? https://t.co/3apKiTwgDw
Former WWE Champion Randy Orton has certainly come a long way in his 20-year career on the WWE main roster.
Over the course of his career Orton has become one of the industry’s most respected veteran’s and biggest stars. This year, Orton celebrates 20 years on the WWE’s main roster since making his debut on SmackDown in 2002 against Hardcore Holly. The rest, as they say, is history. Orton is a 14-time WWE World Champion and a sure-fire future Hall Of Famer.
“The Viper” is also a two-time Royal Rumble winner and a former Money In The Bank winner. He has had some legendary feuds throughout his run, but Orton hasn’t had more programs with anyone else when it comes to his rivalries with John Cena. Cena no longer runs with WWE full-time as Orton does, but that didn’t stop Cena from taking to Twitter to pay homage to Orton on his 20-year WWE anniversary.
Here’s what Cena had to say:
“For 20 years @RandyOrton has cemented his legacy as 1 of the greatest @WWE Superstars ever. I have the utmost respect for every achievement he’s earned & CONTINUES to earn. But my genuine love & admiration for him is in his maturity & growth as a human being. Here’s to RKO!”
For 20 years @RandyOrton has cemented his legacy as 1 of the greatest @WWE Superstars ever. I have the utmost respect for every achievement he’s earned & CONTINUES to earn. But my genuine love & admiration for him is in his maturity & growth as a human being. Here’s to RKO! ?
Orton is currently in the midst of a Tag Team feud alongside Matt Riddle – as the pair reign as RAW Tag Team Champions. RK-Bro will attempt to unify their tag titles with SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions The Usos, who they’ve been feuding with the past several weeks, at WrestleMania Backlash.
Austin Theory is not only getting support on-screen but also behind the scenes from Vince McMahon.
During today’s Wrestling Observer Live, Bryan Alvarez was talking about what the finish might be for the Austin Theory vs. Pat McAfee match at WrestleMania 38. This is where he noted that McMahon sees Theory like John Cena and there’s a reason he is being groomed and always in McMahon’s segments.
Alvarez speculated that maybe he wants to teach Theory about being able to lose, but he presumed Theory is winning at WrestleMania.
Dating back to his time in NXT, there was talk that he would eventually become a top star on the main roster. WWE needs to create top stars. Theory and Bron Breakker could be two names that can carry the company in the future.
In December, Theory stated that Cena has been his inspiration not just in wrestling but in life and modeled his life at a young age on what he saw Cena do on TV. He also has said that his dream match would be to wrestle Cena in Cena’s retirement match
AEW’s Max Caster has impressed a lot of people with his mic skills in a short amount of time. With his rapper gimmick, the rising star has drawn obvious comparisons to John Cena, who originally got over with the audience with a similar character.
The Cenation Leader discussed a number of things talking to Forbs. He also offered some big praise to the Acclaimed Member. When asked if he could beat Caster in a rap battle, Cena said “I know of Max Caster very well, and the answer is no,”
The 16-time world champion said that hip hop is something that constantly evolves and moves forward. According to John Cena, Max is the better version of what he did:
“Hip-hop constantly evolves, and it constantly moves forward, and he is the better version of what I did. He’s really, really spectacular. As long as he keeps everything in realistic perspective, he shows great potential.”
The Hollywood star recalled the first time he heard the AEW star. He revealed that he immediately checked out more work of him and realized that he was spectacular.
Cena also claimed that he can’t give the young star any advice “because he’s punching far above my weight class.” John noted how Caster is gifted enough to rhyme to the beat live while he did his stuff a cappella to let the punchlines sink in.
John Cena is one of the most recognizable wrestling faces of all time. One of the biggest factor’s in his rise to this popularity has been the emergence of the meme culture and their love for the Cenation Leader.
The 16-time world champion recently spoke to GQ. He discussed how he wore the Peacemaker costume everywhere he went for the promotion of Suicide Squad so that people can get familiar with the character.
Cena revealed that it’s something he learned during his time in WWE. The former champion explained that the greatest wrestling characters with the most long-term success are the ones that remain the same:
“We just dropped a show on Peacock called Evil, which profiles eight of the top WWE quote-unquote “heels” — and a constant thread in all of that is dedication to character. And the reason, like, there’s the perception of John Cena, “Oh, he never changes” — yeah, I don’t. Because it’s the concept of uniformity.”
John Cena mentioned how he wore the same jean shorts and t-shirt everywhere during his time in WWE. It made people feel like they knew him. He also discussed the meme culture’s love for him:
“I was so dedicated to it that meme culture ran with it, in multiple different varieties: the invisible John Cena meme, the unexpected John Cena meme. And a lot of that is based on being so familiar with the look.”
Apart from this, the Hollywood star talked about The Undertaker. He explained how the Dead Man was backstage and revealed that he has changed in recent years.
The Undertaker had a lot of influence on John Cena’s career. From the famous handshake segment that told people he was someone to keep an eye on, to the multiple matches they had, The Dead Man helped Cena become the wrestler he is today in a big way.
The Cenation Leader had a Q&A with GQ. He discussed things such as donning the Peacemaker costume everywhere for the promotion of Suicide Squad and more.
Speaking about the last Outlaw, Cena revealed what he is like backstage. He claimed that there wasn’t much difference between Taker’s on screen and off-screen character, up until a couple of years ago:
“Mark backstage is very much like The Undertaker — like, that’s how dedicated he is. He’s very stoic, and very calculated, and does speak softly and carry a big stick, until like now.
Two years ago, he started relaxing, letting loose, and having fun.” said John Cena, “But that role consumed him. And that’s what led to his long-term success.”
The 16-time world champion continued by saying that he has great respect for The Undertaker’s ability to be the same person on and off-screen.
He explained that Taker knew he wouldn’t have the same opportunities to live in a sense of normalcy but he believed that he was going to have the opportunities that normalcy doesn’t provide.
John Cena main evented several WrestleManias during his decade-long stint as the face of WWE. One of them was against The Miz at WrestleMania 27.
The A-lister recently took on his Twitter to remind the Cenation leader of his victory on the Show of Shows 11 years ago. In response, the 16-time world champion praised his opponent for his work ethic.
John Cena replied positively while responding to the question of whether he remembers the match. He mentioned how The Miz did his best for the audience and claimed that his passion has not changed:
“I do. Vividly. You worked your a** off on the road to the event and at the event itself. Sacrificing your body during the event to do all you could to give the audience every ounce, even possibly at the expense of your own memory. Your passion and dedication hasn’t ever changed.”
I do. Vividly. You worked your a** off on the road to the event and at the event itself. Sacrificing your body during the event to do all you could to give the audience every ounce, even possibly at the expense of your own memory. Your passion and dedication hasn’t ever changed. https://t.co/VJkfwOOiYV
The Miz walked into WrestleMania 27 as the WWE champion. He managed to win the match after The Rock interfered and delivered a Rock Bottom to John Cena.
The Miz is currently involved in a feud with The Mysterios. He is set to face Rey Mysterio on the WrestleMania go-home episode of Raw this Monday. John on the other hand, is not expected to be part of the big event in any way.
WWE Evil, a new 8-part docu-series, is coming to Peacock starting March 24th.
Executive produced and narrated by John Cena, each 1-hour episode WWE Evil looks inside the evil minds of the most iconic names in WWE history.
“Hollywood” Hulk Hogan will be the subject of the first episode. Other episodes will focus on the Brothers of Destruction, Stephanie McMahon, Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, Ric Flair, Sasha Banks and The Miz.
Here is the official trailer:
“As Peacock continues to expand its WWE programming, we are thrilled to bring the new original series ‘WWE Evil’ to platform, working with the one and only John Cena,” said Benny Reuven, Vice President of Entertainment Unscripted Content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “There is no one better to take viewers into the minds of WWE’s fiercest villains than Cena himself. We can’t wait for WWE fans to devour this series.”
According to a press release sent in to SEScoops, each episode of this psychological exposé dives deep into a single infamous heel, unveiling rare behind-the-scenes details from some of the biggest names in the industry.
WWE Evil Episode Guide
EPISODE 1 – “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan: Hulk Hogan goes “Hollywood”, betraying his fans and beliefs to become the personification of evil.
EPISODE 2 – The Miz: From reality star to Superstar; Mike Mizanin took fame to new heights with his villainous alter-ego, The Miz.
EPISODE 3 – Sasha Banks: There’s a villain inside all of us. Sasha Banks unleashes hers to become “The Boss”.
EPISODE 4 – Brothers of Destruction: Brothers and sworn enemies The Undertaker and Kane align to become the ultimate evil duo in WWE.
EPISODE 5 – Randy Orton: Randy Orton’s “evil” evolution into the “Legend Killer” unleashes the true demons lurking within.
EPISODE 6 – Stephanie McMahon: Stephanie McMahon steps out of her father’s shadow to forge a legacy of power and corruption in WWE.
EPISODE 7 – Ric Flair: Witness how the “Dirtiest Player in the Game” Ric Flair became one of WWE’s greatest villains.
EPISODE 8 – Roman Reigns: From hated good guy to beloved bad guy; Roman Reigns finds new life by embracing his dark side.
For more information on the new WWE Evil series coming to Peacock, visit Business Wire.
“Never in the history of #StoneColdFriday did I think I’d see this!! Excited for @SteveAustinBSR, excited 4 the @WWE Universe and I’m excited for #WrestleMania!!!!” wrote John Cena
For those who don’t know, Kevin Owens had been taking shots at the state of Texas for the last few weeks. Reports suggested that it will lead to an angle between Owens and Steve Austin at Mania from Dallas.
The former Universal champion finally called out the Attitude Era star directly on this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw. He invited him to be part of the KO Show at the Grandest Stage Of Them All.
Steve Austin replied to it yesterday. He didn’t say that he will be wrestling a match but Stone Cold did promise to ‘open up one last can of whoop ass’ on Owens.
John Cena himself doesn’t seem very likely to appear on the Show of Shows this year. This tweet shows that he will at least be enjoying the show as a fan from home.
John Cena took a unique approach to promoting the Peacemaker series before its release. He decided to show up to all promotional events in his full costume.
The Cenation Leader recently had an interview with People. He discussed things such as the potential of a crossover between Peacemaker and The Rock’s Black Adam.
Speaking of his promotional tactic for Peacemaker, Cena claimed that it was very similar to the approach he took with his character as a full time WWE performer:
“I just wanted to try to familiarize the audience with my little piece, pun intended.” said the 16 time world champion. “It’s very similar to the approach that I use with the WWE when I was performing full-time there.
I would be in all interviews in the John Cena outfit of a ball cap, T-shirt, shorts and wristbands. People began to associate that character and become familiar with that character. That’s just the same approach I used in Peacemaker.”
The former world champion discussed how a lot of people may shy away from the approach because it’s not indicative of who they are.
John claimed that he just wanted the audience to become familiar with Peacemaker. As a testimony to his success, he mentioned how people were already cosplaying the character when they released a teaser for it at San Diego Comic-Con.
James Gunn is known to take relatively unknown characters and make them mainstream names. John Cena’s peacemaker is the latest example of it.
Now that the Peacemaker series has created a buzz, people wonder if we are going to see him cross over with The Rock’s Black Adam.
When asked about it in an interview with People, Cena claimed that it would be an honor. Though he mentioned how it’s not his choice to make:
“I’ll say the same thing every time with possibilities in the sort of universe… it would be an honor and a privilege to be able to perform with him.
I think there still is a passionate marketplace that wants to see him in.” said John Cena, “But I’m sorry, man, that’s just not my choice so I don’t know. It’s so far beyond me. It’s beyond what I’m able to control.”
The 16-time world champion also discussed the success of the Peacemaker web series. The show broke the record for the biggest single-day release for an HBO Max original.
Peacemaker has been renewed for a second season. Cena mentioned how making the show was a balancing act and admitted that its success is a tremendous feeling.
