WWE Superstar John Cena has disclosed that Vince McMahon and Triple H once pushed for his dismissal from the promotion. Debuting in 2002 with a standout match against Kurt Angle, Cena’s early career lacked lustre behind the scenes. He candidly admitted that key figures like Triple H and McMahon weren’t in his corner, expressing a desire to see him gone.
During a 2012 interview with Soscia Network, Cena revealed that both Vince McMahon and Triple H didn’t like him, and even people within the promotion didn’t buy into Cena’s early character work. Cena stated, “When I was just wearing boots and tights, and I was supposed to be the ruthless aggression, young good guy, nobody in the company liked me. I know Vince McMahon won’t admit this, but he wanted me fired, Triple H wanted me fired, everybody hated me.”
However, Cena’s trajectory shifted dramatically with his Thuganomics persona, a transformation partly inspired by Stephanie McMahon’s admiration for his freestyle rap skills on a WWE bus. This persona propelled him to superstardom, paving the way for his transition to the Hustle, Loyalty, Respect character.
This shift positioned Cena as the foremost figure in WWE for over ten years. Beginning in 2016, Cena gradually adopted a lighter workload, prompting the promotion to pivot towards Roman Reigns as the successor to lead WWE forward.
Will John Cena make an appearance at WrestleMania 40?
With WWE WrestleMania 40 shaping up to be an electrifying event featuring top stars like Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, and the long-awaited return of The Rock, anticipation is soaring. Yet, amidst the star-studded lineup, fans are speculating whether John Cena will make a comeback at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Cena addressed the WrestleMania 40 buzz, expressing uncertainty about his availability that weekend. He acknowledged the unpredictable nature of his schedule in Hollywood but remained open to the possibility of a return, stating, “I don’t know if I’ll be free that weekend, but it is a weekend and movies don’t shoot on the weekends. But when I say I’m done — in WWE, they say never say never and a lot of people retire and come back — I’m just being honest with myself. There’s such a great new generation now as well. It’s time to pass the electric energy on to the folks that can be there every day.”
Despite Cena’s absence from WWE TV since his defeat to Solo Sikoa at Crown Jewel in November, he has also hinted that he may continue wrestling until he reaches 50 years old. It will be interesting to see if WWE has any plans for the leader of Cenation at WrestleMania 40.
