What is the origin of John Cena's "You Can't See Me" gesture?

John Cena became a mainstay in popular culture with his iconic "You Can't See Me" gesture. Any WWE fan who grew up watching wrestling during PG-Era can relate to Cena's trademark gesture. The Champ walks up to his opponent, puts his hand in front of his face, and bobs it sideways while mouthing the infamous catchphrase.

Some people genuinely assume that the sixteen-time world champion is invisible to the human eye because of his iconic gesture's widespread appeal and pervasiveness. He usually does it on a downed opponent before executing The Five Knuckle Shuffle, a signature move synonymous with the motion.

But how exactly did John Cena come to adopt this rather unusual gesture? It sounds ludicrous and baffling because people can see him, as The Rock rightly pointed out in one of his disses. Luckily, The Leader of The Cenation has an intriguing backstory that clearly explains the origins of his trademark gesture.

John Cena's "You Can't See Me" gesture is inspired by Tony Yayo

On The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, John Cena opened up about the history of his iconic "You Can't See Me" gesture. Cena explained that it started as a dare when his younger brother, Sean, dared The Champ to do it on television.

Expanding on the story, Cena explained that he used Sean as a "litmus test" for the album that contained his current theme song- "My Time is Now." Cena's younger brother vibed to the soundtrack with a gesture markedly similar to Tony Yayo's motions in "So Seductive," featuring 50 Cent.

The Franchise Player of PG-Era thus admitted to stealing his iconic gesture from Tony Yayo, although he did tweak it to his liking, per a dare from Sean. The "You Can't See Me" gesture clicked with popular culture, becoming a meme on social media, much like Randy Orton's RKO Outta Nowhere.

John Cena is no longer a full-time WWE Superstar. Due to a skyrocketing Hollywood career that has seen him land massive roles, e.g., Peacemaker, Cena is seldom around for his wrestling fans. Fortunately, he has provided us with plenty of memorable moments, many of which revolve around not being able to see him, to cherish for a lifetime.