With an impressive record of being a 16-time World Champion, John Cena achieved nearly everything a professional wrestler could aspire to in his illustrious career. However, there was a notable segment of the audience who held a deep disdain for Cena. This sentiment was particularly prevalent during his “Super Cena” phase, characterized by his infrequent losses and seemingly invincible stature. It was this aspect that made Brock Lesnar’s dominant victory over Cena at SummerSlam 2014 a cathartic moment for many disgruntled fans.
During an interview on Notsam Wrestling, John Cena shed light on the now-famous squash match with Lesnar. He disclosed that it was Lesnar who came up with the idea while having dinner with wrestling legend Steve Austin. Remarkably, Cena not only readily agreed to the proposal but also believed it made logical sense.
Cena expressed admiration for Lesnar’s generosity as a performer, highlighting his ability to make anyone look exceptional in the ring. When Lesnar presented the idea of relentlessly suplexing Cena and emerging victorious, Cena’s response was an enthusiastic “Yes!” Lesnar was taken aback by Cena’s immediate agreement and sought clarification. Cena explained that both he and Lesnar acknowledged the significance of Lesnar’s monumental triumph over The Undertaker’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania. They believed that a competitive back-and-forth match would undermine that historic achievement.
By accepting Lesnar’s proposal for a one-sided match, Cena and Lesnar aimed to preserve the impact of Lesnar’s victory over The Undertaker while also acknowledging Lesnar’s unmatched dominance. This decision demonstrated the mutual respect and collaborative spirit between the two Superstars.
Brock is one of the most giving performers when it’s his time, and he will make anyone look great. But I remember Brock being like, “Hey you know, I had dinner with Steve Austin last night and we came up with this idea where I just start suplexing you and don’t stop, and then beat you.” I said, ‘Yeah!’ He said, “What do you mean?” I was like, “Well, we both collectively agreed that you just beat the streak. We will ruin that if we have a 50-50 match.”
John Cena’s openness and willingness to put aside personal considerations for the greater narrative exemplify his dedication to the art form of professional wrestling. Despite the polarizing reception he received, Cena’s professional approach and commitment to storytelling cemented his legacy as one of the most significant figures in WWE history. Naturally, fans loved to see Cena getting brutalized as well.
In a different portion of the interview, John Cena revealed what he told Austin Theory as well.
Sam Roberts released an interview with the 16-time World Champion on Monday. During the conversation, Cena compared Theory to Roman Reigns and discussed Roman’s early difficulties getting over as a babyface.
Cena said:
I was really trying to hammer this home with Theory. It took Roman 10 years, eight years at the top, pushed for eight years for the lightbulb to go off and be like, ‘I”m doing it my way. I will work with who they say, I will hit my times, but I’m going to be who I really am.’
When I talk to somebody like Theory, who has stars in his eyes and at 25 thinks he’s got a long road in front of him. You really need to start now, failing. Don’t just perform, fail, like a lot and then one day you’ll get it. You need to have like 85 suffering succotash moments.
