WWE

Jonathan Coachman Tells Wild John Cena Story Of Competing In A 60-Minute ‘Banger’ With Nasty Hangover

Originally posted on Ringside Intel | By Jason Burgos | Last updated Jul 3, 2024 5:41 PM ET

There are many stories explaining why John Cena is an icon of professional wrestling, however, a new hilarious chapter was added to that legacy by none other than former backstage interviewer Jonathan Coachman.

John Cena has an impeccable reputation in the industry. He was the closest thing pro wrestling has seen to Hulk Hogan as a figure beloved by younger WWE fans. He had a wrestling style and look that made him feel like a real-life superhero, and his record numbers of “Make a Wish” appearances only added to why he was a role model to many fans.

There are also hardly any scandalous stories linked to Cena. Which is a big departure from top stars in previous decades. However, during a recent appearance on the “Angle Podcast,” former WWE backstage personality Jonathan Coachman recalled a hilarious tale of Cena ending a wild nine-day run of evening binge drinking with a 60-minute “banger” against fellow legend Shawn Michaels.

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“We had a trip overseas, it was ten shows in ten days. Ric Flair talked him into drinking alcohol because that’s what world champs have got to do,” Coachman started by saying (h/t Fightful). “He literally drank every single night, closed the bar down, paid the bar tab. I asked him on day nine how much he spent, he said $35,000. I said, ‘Dollars?’ He said, ‘Pounds.’ It’s two to one, so it was $70,000 he spent on alcohol just because he’s the world champion.

“The last night, Dean Malkeno walks up to him, beer in hand, and whispers something in his ear. He puts the beer down, heads straight for the elevator, says nothing to nobody, and disappears,” he added. Dean Malkeno had just told him, ‘Tomorrow night, you’re going sixty minutes with Shawn Michaels on Monday Night Raw.’ Out of respect for the effort of what he was doing, I stood at the gorilla position for him to walk back down [after the match].

“He walked towards me, you could smell the alcohol coming out his pours, but he gave sixty minutes, absolute banger.”

This is just another fascinating story that adds the to incomparable legend of 16-time WWE champion John Cena.

This article first appeared on Ringside Intel and was syndicated with permission.

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