Intense John Cena Promo Drew Surprising Reaction From WWE Star

A scathing promo from John Cena didn’t upset his WrestleMania 39 opponent Austin Theory.

John Cena is known as one of the greatest superstars of all time not just because of his skills in the ring or his connection with the audience, but because of his incredible promos as well.

It’s fair to say that Cena is something of a promo master because he knows how to play to the crowd and have fun. Cena also knows how to be intense when the situation calls for it.

At WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles, John Cena challenged Austin Theory for the US Title. Cena appeared on WWE television just once before WrestleMania. That appearance took place on the March 6, 2023 episode of Monday Night Raw when Cena told Theory he wasn’t ready to be a huge superstar in WWE. Cena told Theory he was a phony and nobody was buying the act that Theory was putting on.

Many people felt like the promo against Theory went too far, but John Cena made it clear in a May 2023 interview that he did what needed to be done.

“Austin is great and easy to work with. We wrote that together. He was in every step of the process. There comes a point where sometimes people need creative solitudes so they’re like, ‘I’m going to go away and write my thing, come back, run it by you, and see if it’s okay.’ Then, there are some guys who are like, ‘see you out there.’”

“I can dress for weddings or funerals, just tell me what color suit to wear. I respect everyone’s process. I do know, that from all my experience, if you do not have something to care about, you do not have something. My job is to make them care. This is not a process I just do with Austin Theory.”

“That’s what I love about WWE. Fans can see through the BS if you don’t believe in your character. It’s what I said to Austin Theory. ‘You are young, you are athletic, you will work for this company, you will do interviews. I don’t believe what you do when you’re out there. I don’t.’”

“I said it to him personally before I said it to him publicly. I’m serious. In a room, with Austin Theory, I said, ‘The reason I came back to Boston is because you can’t do this yourself yet. You cannot carry a WrestleMania promo yourself yet. If you fail, we waste the equity that I’m willing to give. In that match, if I get hurt, I hold up production, which puts 300 people out of work. Let’s do this right. Let’s get some equity here.’”

“Then you start thinking about the angles, what’s the most important thing, what’s our story? ‘I don’t believe what you do,’ that’s what I’m going with.”

What Did Austin Theory About John Cena’s Insulting Promo?

In an interview with Chris Van Vliet, Austin Theory talked about learning how he was going to face John Cena at WrestleMania 39.

“I remember hearing hints of it and stuff like that. But ultimately, I remember showing up, and they were like, Cena is coming back, and you’re going to do a backstage with him. So I did a backstage with him. I had a promo, and then he was like, ‘Okay, that’s good. But like, what would you say to me?’

I think at the time, even going back to the promo me and him did in Boston, in the ring, I think I was just kind of having a hard time understanding exactly where he was coming from and what he was trying to get out of me.”

Regarding Cena’s promo in the ring with him, Theory didn’t seem to have an issue with it.

“I think for me, because I’ve watched it back, and I’ve seen it in some of the things he said and stuff. And I just think it’s the character. I think he just wants to see me and it’s hard for me to just say exactly what he means.

I kind of see where it is and if people can, kind of pick up on what I’m trying to say, but I think he just sees more of who I really am being displayed in a different way.”

Austin Theory would go on to WrestleMania 39 where he defeated John Cena in what is Cena’s last WrestleMania match to date. Cena has stated that he is going to be in action at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas in what will be his last time competing at a WrestleMania event.