In one of the most candid interviews of his career, John Cena has pulled back the curtain on his iconic WrestleMania 28 main event against The Rock. Speaking to Vanity Fair, Cena revealed not only that he knew the match’s outcome a full year in advance, but also that he was to blame for the legitimate animosity between the two stars.
John Cena On Knowing WrestleMania 28 Outcome A Year In Advance
Reflecting on the “Once in a Lifetime” match, Cena confirmed that the result was never in doubt in his mind. He stated that he was aware he would be losing to The Rock long before he stepped into the ring in Miami.
“You would think that like, man, going to the actual stage is gonna be the worst part. That was the easy part. I knew I was losing the year before the fight… All of those promos you see, all those speeches, every single one of them, I knew that I was gonna finish second place,” Cena revealed. He added that he lingered in the ring after the match “to soak in the embarrassment” to further his storyline.
Cena Takes Responsibility For Real-Life Animosity
Cena also spoke at length about the real-life heat between himself and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, admitting he handled the situation poorly by making their rivalry personal.
“Dwayne had always been cordial to me and always helped me out and I did something foolish and started to go into business for myself and drum up rumors about things I knew nothing about… it’s very much a professional faux pas,” Cena admitted. He said that after the match, he apologized to both The Rock and his mother. “He was empathetic. He was gracious.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Vanity Fair with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
