Early Years of John Cena in WWE Explored

In early 2002, the WWF became the WWE, known as World Wrestling Entertainment. When WWE rebranded, their top stars, such as Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock, were already fading from active wrestling. That’s where Vince McMahon knew he needed to create new stars.

During this time, WWE introduced the Ruthless Aggression Era. This era established stars who would carry the company for the next two decades. So many stars came into fruition, such as Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, and Batista. One name that brought out so much charisma in those men was John Cena.

John Cena’s Beginnings in WWE

Compared to the expression, “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, John Cena definitely did not become a star in a day. Cena’s early years revolved around him as a young rookie trying to make his break on SmackDown. His first match caught the eyes of WWE staff and fans as he pulled a formidable performance against Kurt Angle.

The following week, Cena faced another top star, Chris Jericho. Although he suffered another loss, it led him to team with the WWE Undisputed Champion, The Undertaker, gaining his first victory on TV against Jericho and Angle.

It was overwhelming for Cena in his early years. WWE booked Cena as an underdog rookie, but he still struggled to connect with fans. He was given more of a plain good guy role, with no persona.

When WWE was hitting their quarterly releases, Cena stated he was on the list WWE considered to release from the company. Luckily for him, a bus ride saved his career. All it took was for Stephanie McMahon to overhear him freestyle rapping alongside Rikishi, Rey Mysterio, and Eddie Guerrero, and see the potential the young star has.

John Cena: The Dr. Of Thuganomics

The moment Stephanie McMahon pitched the Dr. Of Thuganomics character to John Cena, the wheels started turning. Early on, Cena applied his new heel character at SmackDown’s supplementary show, Velocity. From there, he showcased his talents in his matches that would elevate him to compete on SmackDown.

Once Cena appeared more on SmackDown, fans began to see Cena’s Dr. Of Thuganomics persona. Cena would disrespect his rivals in a form of rap, while also cheating his way to victory. His arrogant attitude drove him to feuds with SmackDown’s top babyfaces, such as Brock Lesnar, Chris Benoit, Undertaker, Eddie Guerrero, and Kurt Angle.

During his growth as a heel, fans noticed his evolution as both a wrestler and actor. Fans witnessed his growth by seeing Cena develop his finisher, the “FU,” in contrast to Brock Lesnar’s “F5” and his “You Can’t See Me” catchphrase. When Cena turned face in late 2003, fans started digging more into him as he received such loud pops the moment his entrance music hit.