Currently reigning as the Undisputed WWE Champion after a historic victory at WWE WrestleMania 41, John Cena’s path to a record-tying seventeenth world title was not without its initial missteps.
Cena, who defeated Cody Rhodes in April 2025, recently opened up about his early WWE days. His memorable WWE SmackDown debut on June 27, 2002, saw him confront Kurt Angle and embody “Ruthless Aggression!” Despite this impactful introduction, Cena struggled to gain traction with the persona.
“The time period I wish I had a do-over for was the ruthless aggression character. I did nothing with it,” Cena revealed at a Philadelphia Fan Expo panel.
He was on the verge of being released from WWE before his ‘Dr. of Thuganomics’ gimmick caught Stephanie McMahon’s and WWE fans’ attention.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Mike Kampke with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
