John Cena, renowned for his dominant presence in WWE, never initially aimed for a wrestling career.
In a candid discussion on “Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard,” Cena revealed the serendipitous path that led him to professional wrestling.
The wrestling icon recounted how he stumbled into the industry rather than pursuing it deliberately.
After relocating from Massachusetts to California, Cena endured a string of unsatisfying jobs before securing a position at Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach.
During this period, he lived out of his car and used the gym’s facilities for showers, all while contemplating a future with the United States Marine Corps. Fate, however, had other plans.
Cena described a pivotal moment when friends Mark and Chris Bell invited him to join them in their wrestling training sessions in Orange County.
“As soon as I saw a ring, I was like, ‘Okay, this is going to be the thing that keeps me here,’” Cena recalled. This newfound passion prompted him to abandon his military aspirations and remain in California.
Initially, Cena viewed wrestling as a mere weekend pastime that made his weekday job bearable. Gradually, however, he began to take the sport more seriously.
This commitment paid off when, in 2001, he signed with WWE, marking the beginning of a stellar career that would elevate him to superstar status.
Most recently, Cena appeared at WWE WrestleMania 40, where he played a crucial role in helping Cody Rhodes secure the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
While Cena has hinted at an imminent retirement from wrestling, he also expressed a desire for one more significant run in WWE before stepping away from the ring for good.