Sgt. Slaughter had doubts about John Cena as WWE's top guy: "He can't even lace up his tennis shoes" (Exclusive)

John Cena was marketed as WWE's top full-time star for a decade before slowing down his in-ring schedule in the mid-2010s to focus on acting. Sgt. Slaughter, a WWE producer when Cena debuted, recently recalled having doubts about the then-rookie.

Cena lost momentum after facing Kurt Angle in his first main roster match in 2002, prompting Vince McMahon to consider firing him. As the years went on, the 17-time World Champion gained the former WWE Chairman's trust and became his marquee babyface attraction.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling Senior Editor Bill Apter, Slaughter admitted he did not view Cena as WWE's next top star. He also revealed that his opinion was shared by fellow behind-the-scenes personnel, including Bruce Prichard, Gerald Brisco, and Pat Patterson.

"It's such a thrill to see John still doing what he's doing," Slaughter said. "When Vince came to us at the production meeting and said, 'My new hero's gonna be John Cena,' we all looked at each other, Pat and I, Brisco, and Bruce Prichard, all of us looked at each other, 'John Cena? He can't even lace up his tennis shoes. How are we gonna make him the hero?'"

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Watch the video above to hear Slaughter discuss his role in helping Cena transform into WWE's main man.

Sgt. Slaughter on Vince McMahon's view of John Cena

Over the last two decades, John Cena has become good friends with Vince McMahon. The Hollywood star recently attended the second night of McMahon's 80th birthday party in New York immediately following a SmackDown episode in Dublin.

Slaughter added that Cena's eagerness to learn was a major factor in McMahon viewing him as a main-event player.

"Vince believed in him. He loved his work ethic and just thought, 'This is the guy I trust that's gonna be there when I want him to be there.' And so he worked really, really hard, and his ears were always open to any suggestions."

On December 13, Cena will retire from in-ring competition at Saturday Night's Main Event. He lost the latest match of his farewell tour against Brock Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza on September 20.

Please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.

About the author

Danny Hart is a journalist who has been reporting on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda since 2017. He grew up as a massive fan of football/soccer and wrestling, leading him to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Before assuming his current role, Hart worked as a football writer at Goal.com between 2009 and 2016. He prides himself on writing original content that is fact-based and highly accurate. Hart thoroughly proofreads his work before submitting it and relies only on credible sources for information.

Hart’s favorite pro wrestler is The Undertaker. He admires the 2022 WWE Hall of Famer’s ability to reinvent his character and remain relevant across his decades-long career. If given the keys to WWE’s creative department, he would bring back The Phenom for a farewell bout against AJ Styles in a stadium full of fans. Not only that, but he would love to have the multi-time world champion’s greatest rivals seated at ringside for the spectacle.

When not watching and covering sports, Hart enjoys long-distance running, playing video games, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

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Edited by Danny Hart