10 Things We Learned From John Cena On Stephanie McMahon's WWE Show

10. Cena Was Bullied As A Kid

Look, millions of young people around the globe have stories like this, but it’s always fascinating to hear about pro wrestlers being relatable. John Cena was bullied for the way he dressed and the kind of music he was into, for example. He first got into rap as a way to rebel against his parents who wouldn’t let him watch MTV, and that’s also how he discovered wrestling - John saw build up to the first WrestleMania on MTV at a friend’s house.

Cena was shoved around by other kids for wearing “turquoise polka dots”, and he knew then he had to fight back. The problem? He didn't really know how to fight, and he wasn't exactly intimidating. That's when fate intervened. JC's grandfather gave him a modest weights set for his 12th birthday. Responding in an encouraging way, his parents also gave him a little corner in the house where he could listen to his music and workout.

That stopped the bullying and changed Cena’s life forever.

He hadn't been too sure how to deal with the bullies at school, but they stopped trying to push him around once he started lifting some weights. Obviously, kids have to be careful when doing weights, because their bodies haven't fully developed yet. Cena was only looking for a little win though, and a means to stop the bullying that had started to plague his childhood.

This is a cool story, one that helped redefine Cena's expectations for himself growing up. Weightlifting gave him confidence, stopped bullies and it made him happy. It was win-win...win.