JBL Recalls Knowing John Cena Was “One Of The Boys” After First Meeting Him In WWE

WWE Hall of Famer JBL shared a memorable story about his first meeting with John Cena during Cena’s formative years in professional wrestling.

Speaking on the Something to Wrestle podcast, JBL painted a vivid picture of the young Cena’s early days and his aspirations in the industry. The encounter took place in Los Angeles, where Cena was beginning his wrestling training. Bradshaw recalled:

I just remember walking in and seeing this great big bodybuilder, and I knew it was one of the boys. I sat and ate with him, and he was telling me about the gimmick ‘The Prototype’ that he was doing, which I didn’t know if it made a lot of sense or not. You never know.

At the time, Cena was laying the groundwork for his future by honing his skills in preparation for his move to Ohio Valley Wrestling, WWE’s developmental territory at the time. While Cena’s potential was evident, Bradshaw admitted that he wasn’t immediately convinced by the young wrestler’s persona. Reflecting on the wrestling landscape of that era, Bradshaw shared how many hopefuls, particularly those with bodybuilding backgrounds, struggled to transition into the demanding world of professional wrestling.

Back in the day, you would see a lot of these guys, maybe not built as well as John, but built really well, and you’d see them trying to make it in the business.

Despite Bradshaw’s initial uncertainty, Cena’s perseverance and undeniable charisma propelled him to become one of WWE’s most iconic superstars.

What Did JBL Think Of His WWE Title Match Against John Cena?

JBL spoke about what he thought about his WrestleMania 21 WWE Title match with John Cena and said that he was proud of the match because he was able to take on a role that required him to make John Cena the new face of the company and Bradshaw feels like he contributed to Cena’s success.

H/t to ITRWrestling.com