John Cena’s debut in WWE has linked Kurt Angle and John Cena together ever since. And recently, that moment had its 20th Anniversary. While WWE organized an entire episode of WWE Raw for the 16-time Champ, fans wondered what Cena’s first rival did to commemorate the occasion.
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The debut with Kurt Angle would launch the young Cena’s career to a height where the champ would go on to represent an entire generation of wrestling. If that match and entrance had not happened, how would Cena’s career and the wrestling industry turn out is a mystery better left unsolved?
Kurt Angle’s tribute to John Cena completing 20 years
This is one of the best tributes that John Cena may have received. Angle posted a video where he and his daughter, Sophia, recreate John Cena’s iconic debut. And not only does she say ‘Ruthless Aggression’, but the nine-year-old also slapped her daddy, just like Cena, back in the day.
He captioned the post, “First! let me explain about my kids, While other daughters want their daddys to play barbie dolls with them, mine asks to recreate their favorite daddy promo with me. Second! My daughter has a mean slap. So you can see why this one is her favorite. Third! They have been waiting for this one for a while, and of course I had to recreate the Ruthless Agression Promo in daddy-Sophia style. Forth! My neighbors probably think we are crazy 😆”
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John Cena’s early years
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While he might be the biggest star, the company has ever seen, the early years of who would become ‘Mr. Hustle Respect and Loyalty’ were full of struggle. Not only did people find him uninteresting after his explosive debut, but the other wrestlers he debuted with showed massive potential.
READ MORE: Kurt Angle Reveals What John Cena Told Him After Their WrestleMania Match Fell Apart
So he moved to one of the most iconic gimmicks in wrestling, Doctor of Thugonomics. What started as a fluke in freestyle rapping on a bus, became a moment fans in every stadium were hoping to see. And John Cena delivered every time. Not only on live TV but also on the house shows.
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WATCH THIS STORY: The Greatest Wins of WWE Legend John Cena
The success he has earned was actual hustle and respect for the work he did. And when talking about loyalty, there is no other wrestler more loyal to the company that The Champ himself. And while many modern wrestling fans may look at it as demeaning, it is what made him irreplaceable for Vince McMahon.