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Whenever we talk about the greatest WWE Superstars of all time, the conversation cannot end without mentioning John Cena. The impact that he has made on the wrestling industry in the last 18 years is truly remarkable.
Through his hard work and determination, The Cenation Leader achieved a new level of popularity.
John Cena arrived in the WWE during the summer of 2002. He made his SmackDown debut in an impactful way by accepting an open challenge issued by former WWE Champion, Kurt Angle.
Although he lost the bout, Cena was able to leave a lasting impression over the WWE Universe. However, nobody knew at that time that he would go on to become the face of WWE in the future.
Vince McMahon found himself in a difficult position during the early 2000s. The Rock and Stone Cold left the WWE for personal reasons, which proved to be a big blow for the company. Things got even worse when Brock Lesnar, in whom the company had invested heavily, decided not to renew his contract in 2004.
After these sudden departures, WWE desperately needed a new star and Cena rose to the occasion. The decision changed the wrestling business forever as the Cenation Leader went on to become one of the biggest draws in pro wrestling history.
But how did it all begin? When did John Cena decide to dedicate his life to pro wrestling? Was he a top star from the beginning?
In this article, let's find the answers to all these questions by throwing light on John Cena's wrestling journey.
When did John Cena start wrestling?
Initially, Cena tried to pursue a career in the field of football during his time at Springfield College in Massachusetts. He was an NCAA Division III All-American center on the college football team.
However, he soon ditched football for a bodybuilding career. He then took part in various competitions and showcased his impressive strength and physique. But Cena didn't continue the discipline of bodybuilding for too long as he had his eye on the wrestling business.
In 1999, Cena started his training at Ultimate Pro Wrestling's California-based Ultimate University. He had a two-year-long stint with the promotion, where he learned all the basics of pro wrestling.
Along with John Cena, Samoa Joe was also honing his craft at UPW during the same time.
During his time in the company, Cena donned an interesting new gimmick called 'The Prototype.' It was a semi-robotic character who claimed to be half man and half machine.
In April 2000, Cena captured the UPW World Heavyweight Championship. He remained champion for 27 days before dropping it in May of that year.
John Cena spent some time in OVW before making his WWE main roster debut
After a couple of successful years with the promotion, John Cena left UPW in March 2001. In October 2000, Cena stepped into the WWE ring for the first time when he collided with Mikey Richardson in a dark match on Smackdown.
Three months later, Cena became part of another SmackDown taping in which he defeated Aaron Aguilera. The Cenation Leader then proceeded to sign a contract with WWE's developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). The promotion was home to several world-class athletes like Randy Orton, Batista, and Brock Lesnar, who later became top megastars in WWE.
The 16-time World Champion achieved enormous success during his time in OVW. He developed as a character and also as an in-ring talent. Cena also had a three-month-long reign as the OVW Heavyweight Champion. He later formed a tag team with Rico Constantino and became the OVW Southern Tag Team Champion.
A few months before his main roster debut, Cena became part of several WWE house shows as an enhancement talent. It proved to be a great time for him as he got to wrestle with the likes of Shelton Benjamin and Tommy Dreamer.
Finally, in June 2002, Cena made his official in-ring debut on WWE Smackdown. Although he was called up to the main roster, the 16-time World Champion continued to appear in OVW until September 2000.
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