"You can't ask for a better debut than that" - Former champion recalls beating John Cena in first televised appearance for WWE

Former WWE star Carlito fondly remembers his main roster debut match for the company against John Cena.

The Puerto Rican star made his TV debut in October 2004 on an episode of SmackDown going up against The Cenation Leader. Carlito won the match and the United States Championship. After a stellar debut, he successfully defended the title against Hall of Famers such as Rob Van Dam, Rey Mysterio, and Eddie Guerrero.

Carlito appeared for an exclusive interview during the recent For the Love of Wrestling event in the UK. The star discussed his debut and said he couldn't have asked for anything more than beating Cena and taking the prestigious title in his maiden outing.

"It was great to go out there and win your very first match. Not only that to win your very first match against John Cena and win a championship. I mean, you can't ask for a better debut than that." [0:33 - 0:43]

You can watch the full video here:

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John Cena's last match was at WrestleMania 39

Over the last few years, John Cena has distanced himself from WWE to focus on his Hollywood projects. However, the 16-time world champion was briefly back in the fold as WWE built up to The Show of Shows earlier this year.

It all started when United States Champion Austin Theory crossed paths with the legend during an episode of RAW. This led to a match being made official between the two at 'Mania.

The match opened WrestleMania 39 Night One, and fans were on the edge of their seats throughout the encounter. Theory performed remarkably and managed to retain the title against Cena. Since then, Mr. Hustle Loyalty and Respect has not been seen on WWE TV.

Do you remember watching Carlito vs. John Cena back in 2004? Let us know in the comments section below.

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If you use Carlito's quotes from this article, please credit Monopoly Events and add a H/T to Sportskeeda for the transcription.