WWE Legend On Being Derogatory To Stephanie McMahon: “You’re Gonna Fire Me Anyway”

A WWE legend recently revealed the truth about their early wrestling days.

Today, John Cena is known as the 17-time world champion. Many wrestling fans even remember his 2002 debut in the Stamford promotion against Kurt Angle, but not many know that he was close to being fired after a failed run.

During a recent appearance on the No-Contest Wrestling podcast, Cena admitted to ‘dropping the ball‘ after his SmackDown debut, as fans rejected his subpar on-screen character.

Unbeknownst to his peers, the WWE star had a talent for rapping and could perform freestyle.

While on an overseas tour, the wrestlers were traveling together in a bus, with the higher-ups, including Stephanie McMahon, sitting in the front.

Cena noticed other wrestlers rapping in the back and decided to join them. He then cut an impromptu rap, which Stephanie overheard.

WWE Legend Recalls Being Derogatory To Stephanie McMahon

John Cena’s rapping talent being discovered by Stephanie McMahon is one of the most retold stories in the business.

It also led to the conception of the Doctor of Thuganomics character, which debuted in late 2002, running until late 2004 or mid-2005.

Speaking on the podcast, the future WWE Hall of Famer recalled being derogatory to Stephanie McMahon when she asked him to rap for her.

I went back there (back of the bus) with expecting nothing. Did my thing, I get off the bus. Stephanie is waiting for me as we’re getting on the jetway. She’s like, “How’d you remember all that?” I’m like, “You don’t. You just…it’s freestyle. You have, like, maybe a couple bars in your head, but you gotta look and react.”

I can see the lightbulbs going off. And she says, “You just make it up?” “Yeah.” “Can you make something about me?” And what a test of, like, ‘Can you do this and do you have the courage to be derogatory?’ “Sure, you’re gonna fire me anyway.” So, I spent a few bars on Steph. She was like, “Would you like to do that on TV?” I said, “Man, yes, I would.” [44:52 onwards]