John Cena first found success in WWE when he started showing up as a rapper and mocking people with his lines which set the stage for his decade long run as the top babyface of the company later on.
However, prior to this, the Cenation Leader was not in a good spot in the company and during an interview for WWE’s new Network series Ruthless Aggression, the former Champion revealed that he was almost fired from the company.
“I was told I was getting my release in the Christmas cuts, because it just wasn’t working, and there’s no argument there. It wasn’t, They gave it to me on a silver platter. ‘John Cena. Ruthless Aggression.’ And I failed. I messed it up. It was on my last European tour, and I think I was in mixed tag matches – this is how well it was not going. I was just there to maybe have one last time in the ring, but I was on the way out.”
"I was told that I would be getting my release at Christmas cuts."
A WWE without @JohnCena? See just how close that came to happening in episode 2 of WWE #RuthlessAggression, available NOW on WWE Network. pic.twitter.com/SAzLfpbFYg
— WWE Network (@WWENetwork) February 18, 2020
However, he then mixed up with Rey Mysterio and Rikishi while they freestyling to pass time during the tour and this is when Stephanie McMahon got impressed with him.
This gave birth to Doctor of Thuganomics gimmick which changed Cena’s whole career and the gimmick gave him his first taste of being the fan-favorite he is going to be remembered for.