10 Moments Legendary WWE Careers Almost Died
6. John Cena Rhymes Just In Time
Stephanie McMahon's recent return to Monday Night Raw was a caustic reminder of a negative aspect of her deeply embedded presence within the company, but John Cena himself confirmed it was her at the helm of his WWE Hail Mary in 2002 that indirectly resulted in his permanent place amongst the company's upper echelon.
Initially reported by Dave Meltzer and later backed up by Cena in various podcast interviews, the 'Champ' was allegedly within weeks of getting cut outright from the company before being overheard rapping with the wrestlers on a bus travelling between shows. Getting wind of the character and predictably putting herself in the frame alongside it, McMahon had Cena perform as a Vanilla Ice-style sideshow act in a Halloween Party vignette during a 2002 SmackDown show she then had storyline jurisdiction over.
The gimmick was an instant hit, drawing mammoth heat (the right kind) and occasional odd cheers from the heel crowd he was initially super-over with before a late-2003 babyface turn began a gradual dilution of the persona. With roots in the industry through his father and approximately 86 different sets of matching tights and boots, 'Big Match John' was always committed to making it to the peak of the industry, even if his eventual persona called for jorts and sneakers instead.