WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.360 Welcome to the Deep Dive. We're here to break 00:00:01.360 --> 00:00:03.899 down complex topics using solid source material, 00:00:04.259 --> 00:00:07.540 making it all digestible and clear for you. Exactly. 00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:10.779 And today, wow, we've got a big one. John Cena. 00:00:11.000 --> 00:00:13.300 He really is monumental, isn't he? We're talking 00:00:13.300 --> 00:00:16.160 about a career that just explodes across so many 00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:19.120 areas. Pro wrestling legend, obviously, Hollywood 00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:24.760 star, music, and philanthropy on a scale that's, 00:00:24.760 --> 00:00:27.379 well, it's kind of mind -blowing. It really is. 00:00:27.420 --> 00:00:29.519 And you can't just look at him as, you know, 00:00:29.879 --> 00:00:32.939 an athlete or an axer separately our sources 00:00:32.939 --> 00:00:36.100 paint this picture of a carefully meticulously 00:00:36.100 --> 00:00:38.920 built cultural figure right someone who reinvented 00:00:38.920 --> 00:00:41.020 himself multiple times i mean think about it 00:00:41.020 --> 00:00:44.039 college football player bodybuilder then this 00:00:44.039 --> 00:00:46.560 sort of prototype wrestler then the rapper yeah 00:00:46.560 --> 00:00:49.159 the doctor of hugonomics right then for nearly 00:00:49.159 --> 00:00:51.600 two decades the ultimate good guy the face of 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:54.759 the company and now well now this final twist 00:00:54.759 --> 00:00:57.119 as the villain It's quite a journey. It really 00:00:57.119 --> 00:00:58.780 is. And our sources are pretty extensive here, 00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:00.500 tracking all those records, the creative shifts, 00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:03.299 his global reach. So our mission, our goal today, 00:01:03.380 --> 00:01:06.780 is to really unpack those key eras. Figure out 00:01:06.780 --> 00:01:11.040 what made his WWE dominance so effective, but 00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:14.060 also so polarizing, right? Definitely polarizing. 00:01:14.099 --> 00:01:16.260 Then look at how that Hollywood transition actually 00:01:16.260 --> 00:01:19.340 happened, how it worked. And crucially, understand 00:01:19.340 --> 00:01:22.719 the sheer scale of his charity work. Especially 00:01:22.719 --> 00:01:25.140 Make -A -Wish. And you have to see it all through 00:01:25.140 --> 00:01:27.680 the lens of where he ended up. Right. Becoming 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:31.019 that 17 time world champion, but only after turning 00:01:31.019 --> 00:01:34.180 heel and ending his own like Guinness World Record 00:01:34.180 --> 00:01:36.879 for being a hero. Yeah, that 2025 heel turn is 00:01:36.879 --> 00:01:38.980 the key, isn't it? Sort of forces you to reexamine 00:01:38.980 --> 00:01:41.260 everything that came before. Absolutely. That 00:01:41.260 --> 00:01:44.750 whole hustle, loyalty, respect mantra. We need 00:01:44.750 --> 00:01:46.549 to see how his actual background fed into that 00:01:46.549 --> 00:01:48.349 character and maybe why that character eventually 00:01:48.349 --> 00:01:50.670 had to, well, die for the story to conclude. 00:01:50.930 --> 00:01:52.629 Okay, let's lay that foundation then. Where does 00:01:52.629 --> 00:01:55.189 it all begin? West Newbury, Massachusetts, April 00:01:55.189 --> 00:01:58.150 23, 1977. And the surprising part, looking at 00:01:58.150 --> 00:02:00.849 the sources, is how grounded his early life seems. 00:02:01.109 --> 00:02:03.689 Yeah. You know, compared to the larger -than 00:02:03.689 --> 00:02:06.540 -life... persona later, very practical, academic 00:02:06.540 --> 00:02:09.180 even. That's a great point. It's often overlooked. 00:02:09.439 --> 00:02:12.659 His physical resilience, which became such a 00:02:12.659 --> 00:02:15.400 trademark, it wasn't just toughness, it was informed. 00:02:15.659 --> 00:02:17.639 Informed how? Well, he went to Central Catholic 00:02:17.639 --> 00:02:20.680 High School, then Cushing Academy, and then Springfield 00:02:20.680 --> 00:02:24.509 College, graduated in 99. His degree... Exercise 00:02:24.509 --> 00:02:27.849 physiology and kinesiology. Okay. So he actually 00:02:27.849 --> 00:02:29.750 studied the science behind physical performance. 00:02:29.969 --> 00:02:33.770 Exactly. He was even an NCAA Division III All 00:02:33.770 --> 00:02:36.379 -American center on the football team. team captain 00:02:36.379 --> 00:02:39.560 this isn't your typical backstory for a future 00:02:39.560 --> 00:02:42.900 wwe champion so that hustle part it wasn't just 00:02:42.900 --> 00:02:45.800 a slogan it was built on like actual knowledge 00:02:45.800 --> 00:02:48.659 of training recovery right which helps explain 00:02:48.659 --> 00:02:51.139 you know his incredible longevity later on and 00:02:51.139 --> 00:02:53.379 those almost unbelievable recovery times from 00:02:53.379 --> 00:02:55.960 serious injuries he understood his body but the 00:02:55.960 --> 00:02:57.819 discipline was there before the money definitely 00:02:58.759 --> 00:03:00.879 Post -college, he was into bodybuilding, yeah, 00:03:01.020 --> 00:03:03.360 but he was also working regular jobs. Sources 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:06.120 say he drove a limousine for a bit. Really? A 00:03:06.120 --> 00:03:09.000 limo driver? Yeah, and worked at Gold's Gym, 00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:11.759 like in the store area, for supposedly six bucks 00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:15.460 an hour. So that hustle, that work ethic, it 00:03:15.460 --> 00:03:17.479 feels like it came from a place of real necessity. 00:03:17.800 --> 00:03:20.759 He had to grind. And that grind eventually led 00:03:20.759 --> 00:03:24.710 him to wrestling. California, 1999. Ultimate 00:03:24.710 --> 00:03:27.509 Pro Wrestling's training school. UPW's ultimate 00:03:27.509 --> 00:03:30.629 university, yeah. And his first gimmick, the 00:03:30.629 --> 00:03:34.210 prototype. Sounds functional. It was. Semi -robotic, 00:03:34.210 --> 00:03:36.789 kind of presented as flawless. He even held their 00:03:36.789 --> 00:03:39.530 title, the UPW Heavyweight Championship, back 00:03:39.530 --> 00:03:42.449 in 2000. But it shows how wrestlers often start 00:03:42.449 --> 00:03:44.389 with something that doesn't quite land, you know? 00:03:44.530 --> 00:03:47.050 Lack the personality. Totally. Technically sound, 00:03:47.169 --> 00:03:50.439 maybe, but not... The charisma you need for the 00:03:50.439 --> 00:03:52.680 big leagues. Still, that technical skill got 00:03:52.680 --> 00:03:54.919 him noticed. WWE developmental deal in 2001. 00:03:55.139 --> 00:03:57.719 Ohio Valley Wrestling, OVW. And this is where 00:03:57.719 --> 00:04:00.340 things get really interesting historically. Because 00:04:00.340 --> 00:04:03.520 OVW at that time. Wow. Yeah, the talent pool 00:04:03.520 --> 00:04:05.340 was insane. It's almost hard to believe, right? 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:08.280 Cena, Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, Dave Bautista, 00:04:08.360 --> 00:04:11.939 all there training together. That OVW4, as they're 00:04:11.939 --> 00:04:13.240 sometimes called. This would have been intense. 00:04:13.699 --> 00:04:15.849 Imagine that environment. pushing each other 00:04:15.849 --> 00:04:18.009 every single day. Cena won titles there too, 00:04:18.089 --> 00:04:21.310 heavyweight, tag team. But the real development 00:04:21.310 --> 00:04:24.110 was probably just surviving that level of competition. 00:04:24.529 --> 00:04:28.750 So he makes the main roster. June 2002, answers 00:04:28.750 --> 00:04:31.930 Kurt Angle's open challenge, famously declares 00:04:31.930 --> 00:04:34.949 ruthless aggression. But he's still pretty generic 00:04:34.949 --> 00:04:37.089 at this point, right? Just an athletic, good 00:04:37.089 --> 00:04:39.149 guy. Exactly. The character that really launched 00:04:39.149 --> 00:04:42.329 him, that came later. And apparently it was almost 00:04:42.329 --> 00:04:44.970 an accident. Yeah, the origin story is classic 00:04:44.970 --> 00:04:47.089 wrestling lore. He's kind of floundering maybe 00:04:47.089 --> 00:04:49.550 a few months in. Right. And the story goes, he's 00:04:49.550 --> 00:04:51.870 on a tour bus, long ride, just messing around, 00:04:51.990 --> 00:04:54.610 freestyling some raps. Just for fun. Yeah, apparently. 00:04:54.949 --> 00:04:57.709 And Stephanie McMahon overhews him. Paul Heyman, 00:04:57.810 --> 00:05:00.009 too, some versions say. And they just instantly 00:05:00.009 --> 00:05:03.089 see it. See what? That this sarcastic, kind of 00:05:03.089 --> 00:05:06.689 arrogant, funny, white rapper persona, that was 00:05:06.689 --> 00:05:08.589 the unique hook he needed. It was the perfect 00:05:08.589 --> 00:05:12.980 contrast. to the bland baby face. Wow. So a random 00:05:12.980 --> 00:05:15.420 freestyle session boosts the doctor of thugonomics. 00:05:15.540 --> 00:05:17.660 Pretty much. And it was exactly what wrestling 00:05:17.660 --> 00:05:19.939 needed at that moment, post -attitude era. It 00:05:19.939 --> 00:05:22.300 gave him a voice, an identity. And you went full 00:05:22.300 --> 00:05:24.879 heel with it. Oh yeah. The throwback jerseys, 00:05:24.879 --> 00:05:28.199 the hats, the chain, the padlock, and those wraps. 00:05:28.439 --> 00:05:30.819 They were edgy, sometimes controversial, but 00:05:30.819 --> 00:05:33.279 man, they got him noticed. So that villain run 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:38.019 in 2002, 2003. That was crucial. Absolutely essential. 00:05:38.199 --> 00:05:40.259 It made him a major player, a guy people love 00:05:40.259 --> 00:05:43.000 to hate. And that set the stage perfectly for 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:46.199 the huge heroic turn that would eventually define 00:05:46.199 --> 00:05:48.459 him. You gotta be the bad guy sometimes before 00:05:48.459 --> 00:05:50.060 you can be the ultimate good guy, Ramey. Makes 00:05:50.060 --> 00:05:53.399 sense. And that Suganomics persona definitely 00:05:53.399 --> 00:05:57.290 had legs. WrestleMania Gex, 2004. He beats Big 00:05:57.290 --> 00:06:00.149 Show for the U .S. title. His first singles gold 00:06:00.149 --> 00:06:02.269 on the main roster. And what does he do immediately? 00:06:02.689 --> 00:06:05.350 Introduces the spinner belt. Exactly. That custom 00:06:05.350 --> 00:06:07.930 spinner U .S. title. It was such a statement 00:06:07.930 --> 00:06:10.850 piece. Flashy, kind of brash, totally tapped 00:06:10.850 --> 00:06:13.470 into hip hop culture at the time. Made him instantly 00:06:13.470 --> 00:06:15.829 connect with a younger audience. But even then, 00:06:15.970 --> 00:06:18.699 early on. They had to use some storyline trickery 00:06:18.699 --> 00:06:20.439 for his outside projects. You're talking about 00:06:20.439 --> 00:06:23.120 the Carlito feud. Yeah, the the kayfabe stabbing. 00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:26.139 Right. So he loses the U .S. title to Carlito. 00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:29.480 And then. To write him off TV so he could film 00:06:29.480 --> 00:06:32.060 the Marine, they ran an angle where he supposedly 00:06:32.060 --> 00:06:34.740 got stabbed in a nightclub by Carlito's bodyguard. 00:06:34.920 --> 00:06:37.420 Sounds pretty dramatic. Why do it that way? Well, 00:06:37.560 --> 00:06:39.579 it worked on a few levels. Gave him the time 00:06:39.579 --> 00:06:42.199 off he needed for the movie, obviously. Generated 00:06:42.199 --> 00:06:44.579 instant sympathy for his character. The hero 00:06:44.579 --> 00:06:47.439 gets taken out unfairly. Ah, okay. And then when 00:06:47.439 --> 00:06:49.899 he comes back seeking revenge relatively quickly, 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:54.620 it reinforces that he's tough. resilient, untouchable 00:06:54.620 --> 00:06:56.839 almost. It laid the groundwork for that whole 00:06:56.839 --> 00:06:59.240 never give up thing before it was even a catchphrase. 00:06:59.259 --> 00:07:01.240 Smart storytelling. And when he came back, he 00:07:01.240 --> 00:07:03.860 was clearly positioned for the top spot. Absolutely 00:07:03.860 --> 00:07:07.100 primed. WrestleMania 21, he beats JBL, wins his 00:07:07.100 --> 00:07:09.860 first WWE championship. And from that point on... 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:12.399 He's the guy. The top face. The main hero of 00:07:12.399 --> 00:07:14.040 the company. And not just for a little while. 00:07:14.180 --> 00:07:16.620 This is where it gets historic. Our sources confirm 00:07:16.620 --> 00:07:19.319 he was continuously a heroic character, a face, 00:07:19.500 --> 00:07:22.399 from basically late 2003 right up until that 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:24.899 heel turn in early 2025. How long is that again? 00:07:25.019 --> 00:07:29.360 You get this. 7 ,786 days. Wow. It's a Guinness 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:32.709 World Record. Longest continuous run as a heroic 00:07:32.709 --> 00:07:35.949 character in WWE. Think about maintaining that 00:07:35.949 --> 00:07:39.629 persona, that image of integrity, for over 20 00:07:39.629 --> 00:07:42.790 years of constant travel performance. It's staggering 00:07:42.790 --> 00:07:45.449 commitment. But, okay, let's be real. That commitment, 00:07:45.629 --> 00:07:48.709 that long run, it wasn't universally loved. Oh, 00:07:48.750 --> 00:07:51.250 not even close. Hugely polarizing is the term. 00:07:51.329 --> 00:07:54.430 The sources talk about praise for his character 00:07:54.430 --> 00:07:57.029 work, his promos, connecting with kids, but also 00:07:57.029 --> 00:08:01.060 constant criticism. Perceived. over -representation, 00:08:01.160 --> 00:08:04.019 on -screen dominance. He became the ultimate 00:08:04.019 --> 00:08:06.040 lightning rod, didn't he? On one hand, he was 00:08:06.040 --> 00:08:08.160 incredibly successful with families, kids loved 00:08:08.160 --> 00:08:10.180 him, merchandise sales were through the roof. 00:08:10.259 --> 00:08:12.600 Right, the bright colors, the slogans. But on 00:08:12.600 --> 00:08:14.959 the other hand, a large chunk of the older, maybe 00:08:14.959 --> 00:08:17.339 more hardcore audience, they really resented 00:08:17.339 --> 00:08:19.420 him. Why do you think? They felt he was, you 00:08:19.420 --> 00:08:22.040 know, Super Cena, always winning, overcoming 00:08:22.040 --> 00:08:25.000 impossible odds. They felt his... Don has kind 00:08:25.000 --> 00:08:27.360 of stifled other wrestlers they preferred, guys 00:08:27.360 --> 00:08:30.540 who maybe had a more edgy attitude era vibe. 00:08:30.680 --> 00:08:32.639 And the crowd reactions could get really nasty. 00:08:32.840 --> 00:08:36.259 Oh, yeah. The prime example is ECW One Night 00:08:36.259 --> 00:08:40.379 Stand 2006. He loses the title to Rob Van Dam 00:08:40.379 --> 00:08:43.580 in front of this super hostile ECW crowd. I remember 00:08:43.580 --> 00:08:45.860 seeing clips. It looked brutal. It was intense. 00:08:46.039 --> 00:08:48.559 Chants, signs saying, if Cena wins, we riot. 00:08:49.049 --> 00:08:51.230 people throwing stuff. It wasn't just playful 00:08:51.230 --> 00:08:53.769 booing. It felt like genuine hatred from that 00:08:53.769 --> 00:08:56.710 specific audience. But WWE kind of leaned into 00:08:56.710 --> 00:08:58.610 it, didn't they? They absolutely did. They realized 00:08:58.610 --> 00:09:01.309 the division itself was good for business. Half 00:09:01.309 --> 00:09:03.309 the crowd loves him passionately. The other half 00:09:03.309 --> 00:09:06.090 hates him passionately. Everyone pays to see 00:09:06.090 --> 00:09:09.029 what happens. It guaranteed huge reactions, win 00:09:09.029 --> 00:09:11.909 or lose. This era also cemented his in -ring 00:09:11.909 --> 00:09:15.149 style, which... also drew its fair share of criticism. 00:09:15.370 --> 00:09:18.029 The five moves of doom. Ah, yes, the infamous 00:09:18.029 --> 00:09:20.190 sequence. Break it down for us. Why was it so 00:09:20.190 --> 00:09:22.070 controversial? Okay, so it became this predictable 00:09:22.070 --> 00:09:24.649 sequence in most of his big matches. Flying shoulder 00:09:24.649 --> 00:09:27.070 block, another flying shoulder block, then the 00:09:27.070 --> 00:09:28.809 sit -out hip toss, which he called the proto 00:09:28.809 --> 00:09:31.470 -bomb. Okay. Then the five knuckle shuffle, taunt, 00:09:31.470 --> 00:09:34.230 and fist drop. And finally, the finishing move, 00:09:34.409 --> 00:09:37.019 the attitude adjustment. So very repetitive. 00:09:37.259 --> 00:09:40.059 Exactly. Critics argued it lacked creativity, 00:09:40.379 --> 00:09:42.879 technical skill, especially compared to guys 00:09:42.879 --> 00:09:46.179 like, well, his OVW classmates or later rivals 00:09:46.179 --> 00:09:49.620 like CM Punk. It felt formulaic. But was it effective? 00:09:49.940 --> 00:09:51.820 From a storytelling perspective, absolutely. 00:09:52.259 --> 00:09:55.100 That predictability built massive anticipation 00:09:55.100 --> 00:09:56.919 for the opponent kicking out of the finisher. 00:09:57.059 --> 00:09:59.820 And for the younger audience WWE was courting, 00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:02.340 it was easy to follow, easy to get excited about. 00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:05.690 Simple, clear, heroic comeback. And the names 00:10:05.690 --> 00:10:08.190 of those moves? Yeah. They even had to change, 00:10:08.309 --> 00:10:10.289 right? Because of a bigger company shift. That's 00:10:10.289 --> 00:10:14.009 right. Around 2008, WWE shifted from its edgier 00:10:14.009 --> 00:10:17.289 TV -14 rating to a more family -friendly TV -PG 00:10:17.289 --> 00:10:20.629 rating. Okay. So his original finisher, the FU... 00:10:20.970 --> 00:10:23.110 Which was kind of a playful shot at Brock Lesnar's 00:10:23.110 --> 00:10:25.269 F5. That wasn't going to fly in the PG era. Makes 00:10:25.269 --> 00:10:26.850 sense. So it became the attitude adjustment. 00:10:27.009 --> 00:10:29.769 And his submission hold, the STFU, shortened 00:10:29.769 --> 00:10:32.149 to just the STF. It was all part of sanitizing 00:10:32.149 --> 00:10:33.929 the product, making it more advertiser friendly. 00:10:34.129 --> 00:10:36.929 And Cena, as the top guy, was central to that 00:10:36.929 --> 00:10:38.830 rebranding. His look changed too, moving away 00:10:38.830 --> 00:10:40.809 from the rapper gear. Yeah, especially after 00:10:40.809 --> 00:10:44.870 filming Marine in 2006. The jerseys and baggy 00:10:44.870 --> 00:10:47.490 shorts started disappearing. Replaced by dog 00:10:47.490 --> 00:10:51.669 tags. cargo shorts, and incorporating that military 00:10:51.669 --> 00:10:53.809 salute as a sign of respect for the armed forces, 00:10:54.049 --> 00:10:57.809 it all cemented that image. Patriotic, wholesome, 00:10:58.029 --> 00:11:00.610 the ultimate role model for the PG era audience. 00:11:00.970 --> 00:11:03.909 Okay, one more thing from this era. His toughness. 00:11:04.029 --> 00:11:07.629 Those injury returns. They seemed almost superhuman. 00:11:07.809 --> 00:11:09.610 They really did. It almost felt like part of 00:11:09.610 --> 00:11:11.789 the storyline, but it was real. Two major ones 00:11:11.789 --> 00:11:15.700 stand out. 2007, he tears his... pectoral muscle 00:11:15.700 --> 00:11:17.879 completely off the bone that's usually what nine 00:11:17.879 --> 00:11:20.500 months maybe a year out he had been championed 00:11:20.500 --> 00:11:23.639 for 380 days had to vacate the title and he came 00:11:23.639 --> 00:11:27.139 back in less than four months no way yes his 00:11:27.139 --> 00:11:29.940 surprise return at the 2008 royal rumble entering 00:11:29.940 --> 00:11:32.039 at number 30 and winning the whole thing nobody 00:11:32.039 --> 00:11:33.779 saw it coming it was one of the biggest pops 00:11:33.779 --> 00:11:36.759 biggest reactions That's insane recovery. And 00:11:36.759 --> 00:11:38.720 he did it again later that year with a serious 00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:41.100 neck injury. Needing surgery came back way faster 00:11:41.100 --> 00:11:43.779 than expected again. There's that ESPN quote 00:11:43.779 --> 00:11:46.519 comparing his recovery to like experimental therapies. 00:11:47.299 --> 00:11:50.340 Deadpool. Deadpool. Okay. It just highlights 00:11:50.340 --> 00:11:53.419 how his ability to heal quickly became legendary. 00:11:53.500 --> 00:11:56.519 It perfectly reinforced that never give up persona. 00:11:56.799 --> 00:11:59.000 It wasn't just words. He lived it physically. 00:11:59.629 --> 00:12:01.990 Moving into the 2010s, we get some really interesting 00:12:01.990 --> 00:12:04.629 storylines. The Nexus angle was a big one. Oh, 00:12:04.629 --> 00:12:07.490 yeah. That was fascinating because it put Cena 00:12:07.490 --> 00:12:10.070 in a position we'd never seen him in. Forced 00:12:10.070 --> 00:12:13.110 subservience. Right. He lost that match to Wade 00:12:13.110 --> 00:12:16.409 Barrett at Hell in a Cell in 2010. The stipulation 00:12:16.409 --> 00:12:19.309 was he had to join Nexus if he lost. Which he 00:12:19.309 --> 00:12:22.129 did. So suddenly the Ultimate Hero is part of 00:12:22.129 --> 00:12:24.809 this destructive villainous faction. It created 00:12:24.809 --> 00:12:27.049 this great internal conflict for his character. 00:12:27.309 --> 00:12:29.350 How could he be loyal to Nexus while still being... 00:12:29.610 --> 00:12:32.049 Well, John Cena. Exactly. That was the drama. 00:12:32.149 --> 00:12:34.269 And of course, he couldn't maintain it. He eventually 00:12:34.269 --> 00:12:37.830 defies Barrett, costs him the WWE title at Survivor 00:12:37.830 --> 00:12:39.750 Series. Which led to him being fired, kayfabe 00:12:39.750 --> 00:12:42.149 style. Right. But his response was pure Cena 00:12:42.149 --> 00:12:44.830 character work. Does he just leave? No. He starts 00:12:44.830 --> 00:12:47.750 showing up anyway, invading Raw, taking out Nexus 00:12:47.750 --> 00:12:50.289 members one by one, completely outside the company 00:12:50.289 --> 00:12:53.269 structure. Still embodying hustle, loyalty, respect, 00:12:53.429 --> 00:12:56.409 even when unemployed. Precisely. Until they had 00:12:56.409 --> 00:12:59.129 no choice but to rehire him. It was a clever 00:12:59.129 --> 00:13:02.210 way to reinforce his core values, even through 00:13:02.210 --> 00:13:05.190 a period of storyline humiliation. This decade 00:13:05.190 --> 00:13:09.070 also gave us the feuds that really defined WWE's 00:13:09.070 --> 00:13:12.590 business at the time. The Rock and CM Punk. Let's 00:13:12.590 --> 00:13:15.289 start with The Rock. That was just massive. A 00:13:15.289 --> 00:13:17.690 spectacle on a whole different level. They announced 00:13:17.690 --> 00:13:20.809 the main event for WrestleMania XC8 a full year 00:13:20.809 --> 00:13:23.309 in advance, right? Once in a lifetime. Unprecedented 00:13:23.309 --> 00:13:25.679 at the time. It showed incredible confidence, 00:13:25.960 --> 00:13:28.519 pitting their current top star, Cena, against 00:13:28.519 --> 00:13:30.940 arguably the biggest crossover star wrestling 00:13:30.940 --> 00:13:33.639 had ever produced, The Rock, returning home. 00:13:33.779 --> 00:13:35.480 And the numbers were huge. Record -breaking. 00:13:35.659 --> 00:13:38.159 WrestleMania 28 did something like 1 .2 million 00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:40.600 pay -per -view buys, highest -grossing live event 00:13:40.600 --> 00:13:43.299 in WWE history up to that point, nearly $9 million 00:13:43.299 --> 00:13:46.419 gate. Just enormous business. And Cena lost that 00:13:46.419 --> 00:13:48.620 first match. He did, which set up the rematch 00:13:48.620 --> 00:13:50.940 the following year, WrestleMania 29, Greatness 00:13:50.940 --> 00:13:53.379 vs. Redemption. And that did even better. grossed 00:13:53.379 --> 00:13:56.200 even more money live, immediately broke the record 00:13:56.200 --> 00:13:59.279 set the year before. It proved that Cena, win 00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:01.940 or lose, was the engine driving WWE's biggest 00:14:01.940 --> 00:14:05.600 possible successes. He was the constant. So the 00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:08.679 Rock feud was the blockbuster spectacle. What 00:14:08.679 --> 00:14:11.740 about CM Punk? If Rock was the spectacle, Punk 00:14:11.740 --> 00:14:14.700 was the critical darling. Their feud, especially 00:14:14.700 --> 00:14:16.980 in the match at Money in the Bank 2011 in Chicago. 00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:19.490 Yeah. That's legendary for different reasons. 00:14:19.629 --> 00:14:21.629 Why that match specifically? It received the 00:14:21.629 --> 00:14:24.289 coveted five -star rating from Dave Meltzer's 00:14:24.289 --> 00:14:26.610 Wrestling Observer newsletter. Explain why that 00:14:26.610 --> 00:14:28.470 five -star rating matters so much in wrestling 00:14:28.470 --> 00:14:30.909 circles. It's basically the gold standard for 00:14:30.909 --> 00:14:33.269 critical acclaim. It signifies near perfection 00:14:33.269 --> 00:14:36.230 in terms of in -ring work, storytelling, crowd 00:14:36.230 --> 00:14:39.009 reaction, emotional depth, everything coming 00:14:39.009 --> 00:14:41.289 together. And Cena getting that rating was significant. 00:14:41.849 --> 00:14:44.690 Hugely significant because Cena, you know, often 00:14:44.690 --> 00:14:47.289 faced criticism for his ring work being basic. 00:14:47.870 --> 00:14:49.950 Getting a five star match, especially against 00:14:49.950 --> 00:14:52.269 a technical master like Punk, proved he could 00:14:52.269 --> 00:14:54.309 absolutely deliver at the highest artistic level 00:14:54.309 --> 00:14:57.009 when the story demanded it. It silenced a lot 00:14:57.009 --> 00:14:59.590 of critics, at least temporarily. He won Match 00:14:59.590 --> 00:15:01.370 of the Year awards for both the Punk and Rock 00:15:01.370 --> 00:15:04.169 bouts, actually. OK, fast forward a bit to 2015, 00:15:04.610 --> 00:15:07.370 the U .S. Championship Open Challenge. This felt 00:15:07.370 --> 00:15:10.799 different. It really did. It felt like Cena consciously 00:15:10.799 --> 00:15:13.399 using his main event status to elevate others. 00:15:13.620 --> 00:15:15.960 How did it work? During his fourth run with the 00:15:15.960 --> 00:15:18.559 US title, he basically said, anyone in the back 00:15:18.559 --> 00:15:21.200 wants a shot, come get it. Every week on Raw, 00:15:21.299 --> 00:15:23.019 he'd defend the title against whoever stepped 00:15:23.019 --> 00:15:25.120 up. And we got some great matches out of it. 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:28.259 Fantastic matches against guys like Dean Ambrose, 00:15:28.259 --> 00:15:31.279 Cesaro, Sami Zayn even got a shot early on. Kevin 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:34.139 Owens debuted against him. It really showcased 00:15:34.139 --> 00:15:36.399 the depth of the roster and gave these guys a 00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:40.360 huge platform. Sounds purely positive. But the 00:15:40.360 --> 00:15:42.440 sources mentioned some criticism about the long 00:15:42.440 --> 00:15:45.600 -term effect. Devil's advocate time. Yeah, there's 00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:48.440 a valid critique there. While the matches themselves 00:15:48.440 --> 00:15:51.539 were often excellent, the analysis, particularly 00:15:51.539 --> 00:15:54.340 from folks like Will Pruitt, pointed out that 00:15:54.340 --> 00:15:57.159 Cena usually won the feud in the end. So the 00:15:57.159 --> 00:15:59.220 challenger gets a great match, maybe even a surprise 00:15:59.220 --> 00:16:01.740 win. Right. Like Kevin Owens beat Cena clean 00:16:01.740 --> 00:16:04.039 in their first match, which was huge. But then 00:16:04.039 --> 00:16:07.059 Cena won the next two encounters. So the argument 00:16:07.059 --> 00:16:09.500 is, while these guys got elevated temporarily, 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:13.100 they often ended up still positioned definitively 00:16:13.100 --> 00:16:16.309 below Cena. So did the open challenge ultimately 00:16:16.309 --> 00:16:19.049 fail to build new main eventers? Because Cena 00:16:19.049 --> 00:16:21.389 always had to come out on top eventually. Was 00:16:21.389 --> 00:16:24.169 it more about reinforcing Cena's resilience yet 00:16:24.169 --> 00:16:26.470 again? That's the crux of the debate, isn't it? 00:16:26.490 --> 00:16:28.750 It highlights that tension in the Cena era. He 00:16:28.750 --> 00:16:31.169 was so valuable, such a draw, the company arguably 00:16:31.169 --> 00:16:33.330 couldn't afford for him to lose too much or look 00:16:33.330 --> 00:16:35.909 weak for long. So opponents got the rub, but 00:16:35.909 --> 00:16:38.309 maybe not the final push over the top. commercial 00:16:38.309 --> 00:16:40.909 reality versus narrative potential, perhaps. 00:16:40.970 --> 00:16:42.870 And physically, he was still pushing through 00:16:42.870 --> 00:16:44.850 incredible pain during this time, that broken 00:16:44.850 --> 00:16:48.629 nose. Oh, yeah. July 2015, match against Seth 00:16:48.629 --> 00:16:50.950 Rollins for the U .S. title. Rollins hits him 00:16:50.950 --> 00:16:52.990 with a knee, just shatters his nose. It looked 00:16:52.990 --> 00:16:55.690 horrific. But he finished the match. Of course 00:16:55.690 --> 00:16:58.269 he did. Blood everywhere, nose clearly mangled. 00:16:58.269 --> 00:17:01.309 But he finished the match and won. That image, 00:17:01.490 --> 00:17:04.960 that moment, it was pure Cena. Physical proof 00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:07.680 that never give up wasn't just marketing. It 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:10.059 was his reality in that role. That toughness, 00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:12.200 that commitment. Yeah. It definitely helped pave 00:17:12.200 --> 00:17:13.819 the way for Hollywood, didn't it? Though his 00:17:13.819 --> 00:17:16.230 path was maybe a bit different. Yeah. Early on, 00:17:16.250 --> 00:17:18.829 it was mostly WWE Studios films like The Marine, 00:17:19.049 --> 00:17:21.950 12 Rounds, action stuff. But the real turning 00:17:21.950 --> 00:17:24.049 point for his acting career came when he shifted 00:17:24.049 --> 00:17:26.809 gears. Towards comedy. Exactly. Deliberately 00:17:26.809 --> 00:17:29.430 choosing roles in comedies like Trainwreck in 00:17:29.430 --> 00:17:32.549 2015 and especially Blockers in 2018. That was 00:17:32.549 --> 00:17:35.369 huge for him. Why was comedy the key? He's a 00:17:35.369 --> 00:17:37.660 big action looking guy. Because it showed range. 00:17:37.799 --> 00:17:39.819 It proved he wasn't just a muscle -bound action 00:17:39.819 --> 00:17:42.180 hero. He had comedic timing. He could be vulnerable, 00:17:42.380 --> 00:17:45.400 self -deprecating. Blockers, in particular, really 00:17:45.400 --> 00:17:47.420 opened Hollywood's eyes. It showed he could be 00:17:47.420 --> 00:17:49.559 funny and sensitive. And that led to bigger things. 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:52.660 Absolutely. Leading roles in Bumblebee, joining 00:17:52.660 --> 00:17:55.420 the Fast Saga and F9 as Jacob Toretto, Dom's 00:17:55.420 --> 00:17:57.660 brother, and then landing his own critically 00:17:57.660 --> 00:18:00.420 acclaimed TV series, Peacemaker, starting in 00:18:00.420 --> 00:18:03.480 2022, that showed he could carry a complex character 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:05.859 and a major series. He really did become that. 00:18:05.930 --> 00:18:08.369 That monocultural crossover star, the New York 00:18:08.369 --> 00:18:10.190 Times called him. Following guys like Hogan, 00:18:10.289 --> 00:18:13.430 Austin, The Rock. Maybe the last one. It's possible. 00:18:13.630 --> 00:18:16.750 In today's fractured media world, it's so hard 00:18:16.750 --> 00:18:19.170 for one person to be everywhere. Recognized by 00:18:19.170 --> 00:18:22.329 everyone, Sina managed it. But being that global. 00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:24.900 It comes with pressures. Like the F9 incident 00:18:24.900 --> 00:18:27.380 in China? Precisely. During the promotional tour 00:18:27.380 --> 00:18:29.859 in 2021, he referred to Taiwan as the country, 00:18:30.019 --> 00:18:32.720 which is a politically very sensitive territory 00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:35.119 regarding mainland China's policy. And the reaction? 00:18:35.339 --> 00:18:37.720 Immediate backlash online. And very quickly, 00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:40.559 Sina posted an apology video on Weibo, a major 00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:42.920 Chinese social media platform, speaking fluent 00:18:42.920 --> 00:18:45.500 Mandarin. Wow, fluent Mandarin. Yeah, he'd been 00:18:45.500 --> 00:18:48.039 learning it for years to help WWE's expansion 00:18:48.039 --> 00:18:51.420 efforts. But the apology itself? saying he made 00:18:51.420 --> 00:18:55.039 a mistake and loved and respected China. It showed 00:18:55.039 --> 00:18:57.380 the tightrope global stars have to walk now, 00:18:57.539 --> 00:19:00.039 balancing personal expression, political realities, 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:02.579 and massive international box office stakes. 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:05.920 Beyond acting, he kept up other interests, too. 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:08.720 Music. Yep. His rap album, You Can't See Me, 00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:11.319 back in 2005, actually did pretty well. Hit number 00:19:11.319 --> 00:19:14.339 15 on the Billboard 200 chart. He did it with 00:19:14.339 --> 00:19:16.799 his cousin, Ty Trademark. And that musicality 00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:19.339 popped up later, unexpectedly. Right. And Peacemaker. 00:19:19.980 --> 00:19:22.920 Turns out he's a self -taught pianist. There's 00:19:22.920 --> 00:19:24.640 a great scene where he plays this really heartfelt 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:27.619 version of Muttley Crue's Home Sweet Home. It 00:19:27.619 --> 00:19:29.359 added this surprising layer to the character 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:31.359 and to Cena himself. He seemed to be everywhere 00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:33.720 in media, too. Hosting shows? Hosted American 00:19:33.720 --> 00:19:36.319 Grit for a couple of seasons, hosted the Nickelodeon 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:38.779 Kids' Choice Awards two years running, and then 00:19:38.779 --> 00:19:42.500 there was the 2024 Oscar. Ah, yes, the near -nude 00:19:42.500 --> 00:19:45.740 appearance. Huh. Yeah, presenting the award for 00:19:45.740 --> 00:19:49.000 best costume design while wearing, well, basically 00:19:49.000 --> 00:19:51.240 just sandals in the results envelope strategically 00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:53.799 placed. It was a callback to a famous streaker 00:19:53.799 --> 00:19:57.039 incident from decades ago. Whiskey. But hilarious. 00:19:57.319 --> 00:19:59.619 It showed he didn't take himself too seriously, 00:19:59.740 --> 00:20:02.559 willing to do almost anything for a comedic bit. 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:05.000 That kind of thing helps you stay relevant in 00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:07.680 pop culture. Okay, but amidst all the wrestling, 00:20:07.859 --> 00:20:11.220 acting, music, comedy, there's one aspect of 00:20:11.220 --> 00:20:13.609 his career that stands completely apart. his 00:20:13.609 --> 00:20:17.150 philanthropy, specifically Make -A -Wish. This 00:20:17.150 --> 00:20:19.410 is absolutely central to understanding Sina's 00:20:19.410 --> 00:20:21.990 legacy. It's not just a side thing, it's defining. 00:20:22.289 --> 00:20:24.569 The numbers are just hard to comprehend. Over 00:20:24.569 --> 00:20:27.269 650 wishes granted for the Make -A -Wish Foundation 00:20:27.269 --> 00:20:29.890 for children facing critical illnesses. It's 00:20:29.890 --> 00:20:32.230 150. And to put that in perspective, Guinness 00:20:32.230 --> 00:20:35.269 World Records confirmed it in 2022. They noted 00:20:35.269 --> 00:20:37.250 the person in second place had granted fewer 00:20:37.250 --> 00:20:40.789 than 200 wishes. That gap is enormous. What does 00:20:40.789 --> 00:20:43.910 it take to grant that many wishes? It takes an 00:20:43.910 --> 00:20:47.190 unbelievable amount of time, dedication and prioritizing 00:20:47.190 --> 00:20:49.529 it above almost everything else. These aren't 00:20:49.529 --> 00:20:51.950 just quick meet and greets. It often means spending 00:20:51.950 --> 00:20:54.869 real quality time talking with the kids, being 00:20:54.869 --> 00:20:57.589 that larger than life hero for them. It requires 00:20:57.589 --> 00:21:00.309 constant travel coordination, emotional energy. 00:21:00.650 --> 00:21:03.450 It's a staggering level of personal commitment 00:21:03.450 --> 00:21:06.349 over two decades. It almost provides a kind of. 00:21:06.779 --> 00:21:09.200 moral shield, doesn't it? It absolutely does. 00:21:09.380 --> 00:21:11.619 No matter what his onscreen character does, no 00:21:11.619 --> 00:21:13.900 matter the controversies or criticisms, that 00:21:13.900 --> 00:21:17.180 real world impact is undeniable and unparalleled. 00:21:17.259 --> 00:21:20.339 It anchors his entire legacy in something genuinely 00:21:20.339 --> 00:21:23.519 good. And speaking of legacy and branding, let's 00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:25.119 touch on those catchphrases and quirks again. 00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:28.940 Hustle, loyalty, respect, never give up. The 00:21:28.940 --> 00:21:31.059 salute. Those are the core tenets, yeah. The 00:21:31.059 --> 00:21:33.480 salute became his way of acknowledging the military 00:21:33.480 --> 00:21:36.079 connection. But the origin of his most famous 00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:39.559 taunt, you can't see me, is way funnier. I heard 00:21:39.559 --> 00:21:41.920 it involved his brother. That's the story. Apparently 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:43.980 his younger brother dared him to do the yayo 00:21:43.980 --> 00:21:46.079 dance, which was a thing back then, but in reverse, 00:21:46.279 --> 00:21:48.160 while waving his hand in front of his face like, 00:21:48.200 --> 00:21:50.779 you can't see me. It's just a silly dare. Yeah. 00:21:51.099 --> 00:21:53.559 Sina thought it was funny, did it on TV, and 00:21:53.559 --> 00:21:56.460 it just exploded. It became this huge global 00:21:56.460 --> 00:21:59.339 taunt, instantly recognizable. It came from just 00:21:59.339 --> 00:22:01.140 messing around with his brother. That's amazing. 00:22:01.619 --> 00:22:04.299 And his willingness to try things, like learning 00:22:04.299 --> 00:22:07.539 Mandarin, that led to other unexpected internet 00:22:07.539 --> 00:22:10.359 fame. Like the Bing chilling meme. Right. Explain 00:22:10.359 --> 00:22:12.359 that one. So he's posting videos in Mandarin 00:22:12.359 --> 00:22:14.759 on social media, part of that effort to connect 00:22:14.759 --> 00:22:18.220 with the Chinese market. In one video, he's enthusiastically 00:22:18.220 --> 00:22:21.019 eating ice cream and saying, bingquilin, which 00:22:21.019 --> 00:22:23.819 means ice cream. Okay. But the way he said it, 00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:27.079 combined with his intense delivery, it got misheard 00:22:27.079 --> 00:22:30.880 or memed as bingchilling. It went viral, completely 00:22:30.880 --> 00:22:33.220 separate from its original context. Just another 00:22:33.220 --> 00:22:35.960 example of his weird global reach. And one last 00:22:35.960 --> 00:22:39.319 weird footnote. The Ford GT lawsuit. Oh yeah, 00:22:39.400 --> 00:22:41.660 that was bizarre. Ford sued him back in 2017. 00:22:41.720 --> 00:22:44.500 Why? Because he bought one of their very limited 00:22:44.500 --> 00:22:47.859 edition Ford GT supercars. Okay, rich guy buys 00:22:47.859 --> 00:22:50.869 expensive car. So what? But the contract stipulated 00:22:50.869 --> 00:22:53.130 buyers had to keep the car for at least two years 00:22:53.130 --> 00:22:55.430 to prevent people from immediately flipping them 00:22:55.430 --> 00:22:59.430 for a profit. And Sina sold his early. Oops. 00:22:59.670 --> 00:23:02.529 Yeah. They settled the lawsuit. Sina apologized 00:23:02.529 --> 00:23:05.109 and Ford apparently donated the settlement money 00:23:05.109 --> 00:23:07.970 to charity. So even a legal hiccup ended up having 00:23:07.970 --> 00:23:10.650 a charitable outcome somehow. Which brings us 00:23:10.650 --> 00:23:13.609 pretty much up to date. The final chapter. July 00:23:13.609 --> 00:23:17.700 2024. He announces the end is near. Retirement 00:23:17.700 --> 00:23:19.819 from full -time wrestling at the end of 2025. 00:23:20.220 --> 00:23:22.559 Sets up the big farewell tour. Everyone expects 00:23:22.559 --> 00:23:25.200 maybe some emotional goodbyes, passing the torch. 00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:28.140 But that's not what happened. Not at all. Elimination 00:23:28.140 --> 00:23:30.960 Chamber 2025. He wins a match, earns a title 00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:33.180 shot, and then brutally attacks Cody Rhodes, 00:23:33.319 --> 00:23:35.339 the guy who's basically the new top baby face. 00:23:35.640 --> 00:23:37.819 Then aligns with The Rock and Travis Scott. Exactly. 00:23:38.019 --> 00:23:42.400 A full, undeniable, shocking heel turn. His first 00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:44.720 time being a villain since way back in 2003. 00:23:45.059 --> 00:23:47.359 And just like that. The Guinness World Record? 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:51.960 7 ,786 days as a hero? Gone. Proof. Ended by 00:23:51.960 --> 00:23:54.420 his own actions. Why do it? Why throw away that 00:23:54.420 --> 00:23:56.839 decades -long heroic identity right at the very 00:23:56.839 --> 00:24:01.700 end? Drama. Impact. Closure, maybe. As a hero, 00:24:01.900 --> 00:24:04.420 what mountains were left for him to climb? By 00:24:04.420 --> 00:24:06.759 turning heel, aligning with the biggest star 00:24:06.759 --> 00:24:09.119 on the planet in the rock, betraying the new 00:24:09.119 --> 00:24:11.619 hero, he instantly became the biggest possible 00:24:11.619 --> 00:24:14.980 antagonist for his final storyline. Maximum heat, 00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:17.720 maximum attention. And that final storyline led 00:24:17.720 --> 00:24:20.460 him to WrestleMania 41. Where he achieved that 00:24:20.460 --> 00:24:23.920 one last goal. Winning the undisputed WWE Championship. 00:24:24.259 --> 00:24:27.140 Beating Roman Reigns. Becoming a record -setting 00:24:27.140 --> 00:24:30.319 17 -time world champion. Tying Ric Flair's recognized 00:24:30.319 --> 00:24:33.420 record. Officially surpassing it in WWE's eyes. 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:36.690 And the promos he could after winning. They were 00:24:36.690 --> 00:24:39.230 something else. How so? Just dripping with bitterness 00:24:39.230 --> 00:24:41.450 and arrogance, criticizing the fans for booing 00:24:41.450 --> 00:24:43.450 him all those years, saying they never appreciated 00:24:43.450 --> 00:24:46.809 his sacrifice, vowing to, quote, ruin wrestling. 00:24:46.910 --> 00:24:49.049 It was the complete opposite of the Cena we knew 00:24:49.049 --> 00:24:51.430 for 20 years. Almost like letting out two decades 00:24:51.430 --> 00:24:54.029 of pent -up frustration. It felt like that. It 00:24:54.029 --> 00:24:56.509 added this really complex, almost cynical layer 00:24:56.509 --> 00:24:58.269 to his entire career right as it was ending, 00:24:58.390 --> 00:25:00.609 made you rethink everything. So when you look 00:25:00.609 --> 00:25:02.809 back at the whole career, how do his peers view 00:25:02.809 --> 00:25:05.779 him, the people in the industry? Overwhelmingly 00:25:05.779 --> 00:25:08.259 positive. You hear guys like Kurt Angle, Paul 00:25:08.259 --> 00:25:12.150 Heyman, JBL legends themselves. calling him flat 00:25:12.150 --> 00:25:14.430 out the greatest professional wrestler of all 00:25:14.430 --> 00:25:16.890 time. That's high praise. And Vince McMahon called 00:25:16.890 --> 00:25:20.130 him the Babe Ruth of WWE, comparing him to the 00:25:20.130 --> 00:25:23.009 iconic American sports figure. That tells you 00:25:23.009 --> 00:25:25.690 the kind of impact they feel he had, both in 00:25:25.690 --> 00:25:28.089 the ring and as a global ambassador. And the 00:25:28.089 --> 00:25:30.430 media perspective, like that New York Times quote 00:25:30.430 --> 00:25:33.769 about him being maybe the last monocultural crossover 00:25:33.769 --> 00:25:36.490 star. I think that's really insightful. Hogan, 00:25:36.710 --> 00:25:40.829 Austin, Rock, Cena. They reached a level of mainstream 00:25:40.829 --> 00:25:43.769 fame, cutting across all demographics. That feels 00:25:43.769 --> 00:25:46.730 almost impossible today with media being so fragmented. 00:25:46.890 --> 00:25:48.930 Cena might really be the last of that breed. 00:25:49.150 --> 00:25:52.430 Kids knew him from WWE and Nickelodeon. Adults 00:25:52.430 --> 00:25:54.809 knew him from movies and shows like Peacemaker. 00:25:55.680 --> 00:25:57.759 He was just everywhere. And the business impact 00:25:57.759 --> 00:26:00.000 is undeniable. Those WrestleMania records with 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:02.259 The Rock. Consecutive years setting new benchmarks 00:26:02.259 --> 00:26:05.079 for live gate revenue and PPV buys at the time. 00:26:05.099 --> 00:26:07.559 His presence absolutely guaranteed massive commercial 00:26:07.559 --> 00:26:10.200 success for WWE's biggest events. And summing 00:26:10.200 --> 00:26:12.660 it all up, what's the legacy? It's defined by, 00:26:12.700 --> 00:26:15.220 I think, incredible longevity, that unbelievable 00:26:15.220 --> 00:26:17.900 physical resilience and this constant adaptability. 00:26:18.380 --> 00:26:21.180 He fully committed to that hustle, loyalty, respect 00:26:21.180 --> 00:26:24.000 brand for decades, even learning Mandarin for 00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:27.619 the company. He turned dedication into just ubiquity, 00:26:27.640 --> 00:26:30.259 being everywhere all the time. Okay, so let's 00:26:30.259 --> 00:26:32.880 recap the highlights. Records galore, 17 world 00:26:32.880 --> 00:26:35.180 titles, five U .S. titles, match of the year 00:26:35.180 --> 00:26:37.460 awards, business records. But then there's the 00:26:37.460 --> 00:26:41.359 other side, over 650 Make -A -Wish grants. That 00:26:41.359 --> 00:26:44.799 7 ,786 -day run as a hero, those almost seem 00:26:44.799 --> 00:26:47.819 bigger in a way. They feel different, yeah, more 00:26:47.819 --> 00:26:50.180 personal. And that final heel turn just throws 00:26:50.180 --> 00:26:52.779 a fascinating curveball into how we process all 00:26:52.779 --> 00:26:54.440 of it. It complicates the narrative beautifully. 00:26:54.779 --> 00:26:56.680 Which leads us to the final thought, the question 00:26:56.680 --> 00:26:58.359 we want to leave you, the listener, with. Go 00:26:58.359 --> 00:27:02.119 for it. Okay. Given John Cena's genuinely unprecedented 00:27:02.119 --> 00:27:05.339 record of philanthropy, the 650 -plus wishes, 00:27:05.480 --> 00:27:07.980 the real -world good he championed for so long, 00:27:08.299 --> 00:27:12.000 How do you reconcile that legacy with this final 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:15.359 onscreen persona, the one claiming to ruin wrestling, 00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:18.279 the one criticizing the very fans who fueled 00:27:18.279 --> 00:27:21.660 his career? Was that final heel turn a betrayal 00:27:21.660 --> 00:27:25.680 of the hustle, loyalty, respect legacy? Or was 00:27:25.680 --> 00:27:28.859 it maybe just a necessary, dramatic, even maybe 00:27:28.859 --> 00:27:30.920 a cathartic way to finally close the book on 00:27:30.920 --> 00:27:34.720 the story of the last true crossover star? proving 00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:36.740 that sometimes even the ultimate hero needs to 00:27:36.740 --> 00:27:38.799 become the villain to finally exit the stage. 00:27:39.000 --> 00:27:40.819 Something to definitely think about. Absolutely. 00:27:41.079 --> 00:27:43.039 Ponder that one as you process this deep dive.