WATCH: The Biggest Turning Point in John Cena’s WWE Career as He Debuts His Vanilla Ice Gimmick

John Cena had one of the most memorable gimmicks as the Doctor of Thuganomics. The hip hop lover was one of the best Superstars on the mic in his time and comfortably filled the void left by the departure of Stone Cold and The Rock.

Every story has its beginning, and John Cena found his own in a Halloween party in 2002. This episode of SmackDown was unique. It featured a live Halloween party with different Superstars dressed up in costumes.

While Eric Bischoff may have stolen the show with Stephanie McMahon, few recollect the hilarious feature of John Cena dressed up as the famous Hip Hop artist Vanilla Ice.

Standing in a purple blazer and a questionable hair-do, Cena confidently walked with the pride of Ice himself. This was quite a comic relief for the crowd at the time.

Vanilla Ice is famous for his hits Ice Ice Baby and the cover of ‘Play that Funky Music’. His hit song ‘Ice Ice Baby’ was the first to hit the top of the Billboard Charts.

It’s no secret why Cena chose him as a Halloween model. However, his brief rap episode with Stephanie McMahon was the start of something big.

John Cena transitioned into the Doctor of Thuganomics

Over the next few weeks, WWE saw a new animal in John Cena. “The Cenator” dominated his gimmick and became his Halloween costume.

As the “Doctor of Thuganomics”, Cena managed to deliver some of the best verbal smackdowns in the business. He was the new animal and everyone knew something was going down when his music hit.

The fans quickly got behind the beloved John Cena who was the closest they could get to an anti-hero after the end of the Ruthless Aggression Era. 

Even though Cena ditched the gimmick and went on to be the face of WWE, fans still love it when he shows up in his iconic attire. Everyone loves being taught basic Thuganomics once in a while.