Speaking to the source of the rumor WWE was trying to sign Rey Mysterio for aWrestleMania 34 match at his request, John Cena shot down talk he asked for anything specific for the event on April 8 in New Orleans.
When Sports Illustrated’s Justin Barrasso caught up with the Kids’ Choice Awards’ host at the Nickelodeon 2018 Upfront presentation (where broadcasters pitch their slate of shows to current and potential advertisers), Cena told him:
“I have never asked for a WrestleMania opponent. If you look at what I’ve done in my WrestleMania entirety, from coming out at Safeco Field in a sweat suit rapping to two cardboard cutouts, to working with established superstars to working with rookies, to being fortunate enough to use the platform to ask a beautiful young lady to marry me.
A lot of our performers get frustrated and ask, ‘What can you do for me?’ I just ask, ‘What can I do for you?’ They tell me, and I do it to the best of my ability. Even if it’s no one.”
The “even if it’s no one” line will draw some eye rolls, just like Cena’s current “I’m just trying to get to ‘Mania” angle on Raw and SmackDown has from some fans. But the company man is sticking to it, and even has an answer to a behind-the-scenes critique of the story – that WWE wouldn’t leave their biggest star off the card:
“What a great story it would be for me to miss and have to buy a ticket. The year doesn’t stop at WrestleMania, we do Raw the next night. Now imagine if this stalwart, this statue of the WWE now has to look inside himself and ask, ‘Do I still have it?’ after being left out of the biggest show of the year.
Don’t put this past Vince. Vince is extremely smart, and the reason he is so successful is his ability to see beyond what is immediately in front of him. A two-year or a three-year play would be smart.”
Still not buying it, but that’s a good answer.
Of course, he’s also selling Fastlane as somewhere he might win his 17th WWE world title, which would punch his ticket to The Showcase of the Immortals, as well as his partnership with Nickelodeon and the numerous other projects he’s currently juggling. It’s an interesting interview for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that Cena and The ‘E offered it to the guy who ran the Mysterio rumor…
