John Cena: “The Culture Of Fraternity Almost Cost Me My Job”

John Cena is happy about the modern wrestling business and how far it has come from its fraternity-driven days.

Wrestling in the modern era is far more liberal than it used to be. WWE Legend John Cena understands this fact.

Many wrestlers, including Cena, have spoken out about how the work environment and work culture in the Stamford-based promotion have changed dramatically over the years, with new rules and new outlooks.

Cena gets candid about this in a recent sit-down with O’Shea Jackson Jr. & TJ Jefferson in an episode of No-contest Wrestling.

John Cena Praises The Modern-Day Wrestling Business

During the interview, one of the hosts asks John Cena if there’s something in the business that is missing now (for example, people traditionally would thank the main-eventers for the house), and what is something Cena is glad that is gone from the business.

Cena answers by saying the business is less live event-driven and more media-driven now. He praises the business for being far more nuanced and also recalls the fraternity-driven wrestling business that paid the wrestlers less and was less inviting.

I am glad the culture of fraternity is gone. Because the culture of fraternity almost cost me my job.

I’m glad that it is way more welcoming. I’m glad that the money is way better. That people can make a vocation out of it.

You know we’re going to read less and less about folks either doing indie wrestling… like having to wrestle to keep the lights on. The story of Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler movie), the fictional story, we’re gonna get less and less of that.

That’s one thing I’m glad that’s gone. (54:21 onwards)

Cena goes on to say that he is happy that major media companies like ESPN and Netflix have WWE on board for programming, which helps the business gain mainstream attention.

Also read: John Cena Finally Reveals WWE Creative Reason Behind Brock Lesnar Squash Match