Despite Feeling Like an Average Sized Guy in WWE, John Cena Once Revealed How It Worked in His Favor: “I Look Forward to Being Actually on the Smaller End”

WWE is privy to many growth stories. Many wrestlers who have plied their trade in the promotion have also witnessed their stocks rise. It’s also fascinating from a fan’s perspective to see these individuals grow from random performers to legends in the promotion. One such story features John Cena. As a young wrestler still awaiting his main roster debut, Cena deemed himself an average-sized guy. But he was also okay with it, stating that it worked in his favor.

This interview was conducted by renowned pro wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer in 2001. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter editor asked a young John Cena his thoughts on wrestling back in the early 2000s.

John Cena talks about the difficulty of being a big guy

Before making his mark in the WWE, Cena was with Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW) for nearly two years. Meltzer’s interview is from the time The Cenation Leader was honing his skills in Ohio Valley Wrestling, WWE’s developmental territory then. He is one among the famed OVW quartet- comprising Batista, Brock Lesnar, himself, and Randy Orton.

Speaking to the journalist, he said, “I fit the mold of an average sized guy out here.” When Meltzer said it’s going to auger well for him and allow him to work even more, Cena acknowledged the point and said, “I look forward to being actually on the smaller end of working the small and big man matches.”

“…in UPW I’d always work big man type style and it kind of restricted me a little bit,” he said. He said that he was excited about the newfound opportunity and would get to do more as per the storylines.

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Cena made his main roster debut the following year. The rest is history. But Cena had to work hard to be where he is today.

Seizing the opportunity: John Cena’s rise in WWE

The 2002 is particularly important in WWE history for the number of significant debuts in the promotion. In a matter of four months, Vince McMahon’s company pushed the four OVW graduates onto the main roster. It started with Lesnar in March, followed by Orton in April, Batista in May, and Cena in June.

But unlike Lesnar and Orton, Cena didn’t receive a push directly. The Beast Incarnate pinned The Rock to become the youngest champion to win the WWE Championship. This record was broken by Orton at SummerSlam 2004. In comparison, Cena had to wait for a few years.

It wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine that had Lesnar stuck around, Cena wouldn’t be receiving his push. Just a year after his debut, Dwayne Johnson had moved to Hollywood, and Stone Cold Steve Austin had quit in-ring competition. In 2004, Lesnar too had made his stance about quitting the company clear, citing his passion for professional football and tryouts at NFL.

This left Vince McMahon with a dilemma. While Orton was a performer, there were issues with his backstage image. Batista was older and in his 30s by the time he made his debut. Cena remained the only star. With a clean image and pro-American gimmick, he was McMahon’s workhorse. Though it was a slow start, Cena went on to equal two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair’s haul of 16 world championships.

He also managed to turn the crowds in his favor with his work. While once he was drowned in boos, Cena’s return these days means only one thing- a raucous reception, as evident during the Money In The Bank PLE in London.

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It’s fascinating to wonder what would John Cena tell his younger self if he met him now.