“Live! With Chris Jericho” Podcast
Special Guest: John Cena
April 6, 2015
Recap by: Adam Martin of Wrestleview.com
The following aired live on the WWE Network following RAW on 4/6.
Chris Jericho is live backstage at RAW in Austin and is joined by WWE United States Champion John Cena.
Jericho brings up the five moves of doom and how Cena added some new moves tonight. Jericho mentions the springboard Stunner at WrestleMania and wants to know the five original moves of doom. Cena laughs talking about his tackles and setups.
Cena is asked about becoming the new WWE United States Champion at WrestleMania 31. He said he is constantly trying to evolve and thinks just getting a chance to be in the ring is an opportunity. Cena said by being champion it gives him a chance to work with younger talent and letting other people get their “business card” on display.
Jericho brings up criticism of Cena main eventing too much. Cena said he’s been the guy to open the show, wrestle in the middle and even headline. He adds that adding his own flavor to the United States Championship only helps. Jericho jokes about the open challenge and how even Funaki could answer it. Cena mentions his first riding partners in WWE was Doug and Danny Basham, Funaki, Tajiri and Ultimo Dragon. He said he hit it off with Funaki early, knew the Basham’s from OVW and Funaki had Tajiri and Dragon tag along. Cena jokes about Tajiri always liking Burger King and loving Whoppers.
Jericho asks about Cena’s relationship with Vince McMahon. “I think we both share the same vision. I think some times creatively we are different.” Cena brings up people saying they love the pro wrestling business adding, “I love this company.” He said he took a real liking to how Vince handles business in WWE. Cena said his legitimate goal is to take WWE to places they have never been before like China or India. “I just want to leave this thing 100 times bigger than when I walked in.” He talks about differing creatively at times with Vince, but thinks he has earned the trust to tell the story the way he thinks he can. Cena is asked if he still gets yelled at by Vince and Cena says all the time. He says that just shows how much passion Vince still has for the business. “He still is on top of like it is day one. I dig that about him.”
They talk about Cena first coming into WWE and his first Pay Per View match being against Jericho. Jericho talked about backlash and the finish being Jericho scheduled to go over. He talked about disagreeing with Vince about that call. Cena mentions his WWE debut with The Undertaker being unavailable and booking him in a segment with Kurt Angle on Smackdown. He talked about Vince telling him to cut his hair immediately.
Jericho brings up the “backwards promo” that he heard about with Cena. Cena said that started in OVW and when they did interview practice, they would cut outrageous interviews and one was where he just decided to cut his promo backwards.
Cena said he loved the “brass ring” comment by Vince. He said talent should just perform and even if they are told otherwise, if the fans are on their feet, they will get another chance. “Go out there and take a chance,” adds Cena. Jericho asks if talent are maybe scared to do that. Cena said they just have different rules compared to the Attitude Era and just dance around them. “If you go out and knock’em dead, they probably won’t get your walking papers when you walk through Gorilla,” adds Cena.
They joke about Cena being known as the “wacky roll up guy.” He talks about looking up to William Regal and joked about his terrible ring attire during his early WWE career.
Jericho brings up Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton and Dave Batista being in Cena’s OVW class. He talked about how intimidating all three were with Lesnar doing a shooting star press, Orton being amazing in the ring and Batista being crazy strong. Cena brings up Shelton Benjamin, Ron Waterman and Rico Constantino also being part of that class. He talked about other guys getting a shot on the main roster way before him.
Jericho talked about being so frustrated to see him get a PPV match and then get tossed on Velocity in nothing matches. Cena said it was hard for him to establish an identity. Jericho talks about Cena creating the white hip hop character. Cena said that came about on a European tour when some talent were rapping on the back of a bus including Rikishi, Chuck Palumbo, Mark Jindrak, Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero and Jimmy Korderas. He mentioned some WWE officials overhearing it and liking how he could freestyle. Cena talked about how that started to create his character, dressing crazy and looking different.
He was asked if he was a wrestling fan growing up. Cena said yes, but felt the secret behind getting involved in the industry was the big thing. He talked about how if you want to be a doctor, you go to college and get a degree. Cena said he wasn’t sure how to go about that with pro wrestling and it just felt like a crazy dream at a young age.
Jericho asks Cena if he ever took any performance enhancing drugs. Cena says no and talked about how hard he worked to get the body that he has today. He said any body building competition he did was drug tested. Jericho said you look at pictures of Cena and it almost seems unrealistic to get those results without taking something. Cena said people always think that and points out how his body has always looked the same since he started taking it seriously. “I look the same. My strength is the same.”
Jericho mentions how quickly Cena has recovered from injuries. Cena said he’s been around NFL guys who are happy to be hurt and he can’t stand missing time. Jericho called him a mutant healer and how Cena can drink him under the table. He brought up a story about a drunken night in Alaska providing some counseling for a married couple. Jericho joked that Cena even wore his jorts in cold weather.
Cena is asked who he thinks the next face of the company could be and if it matters. He truly doesn’t think it matters now and the recent experiment with Roman Reigns with how things can be packaged well, but it just won’t be accepted like that anymore. Cena thinks Reigns is a star and how the fan backlash took place leading into WrestleMania. “It’s going to be weird from here on out,” adds Cena.
Cena talks about it being hard to talk with the locker room right now because they think it is easy for him to say at the level he is at now in his career. He just wishes they would go for it because he knows what so many of them are capable of. Jericho talked about how doing something different tends to work.
Jericho asks Cena if watches NXT. Cena said he does when he has time and is really impressed with the momentum the brand has built up. He said the talent getting a chance to work in front of crowds even faster is great experience. Cena talked about getting pushed out in front of a hostile Chicago crowd at the Hall of Fame chanting “FU*K YOU CENA” at him.
Cena admits to having heat with The Rock the first time they worked together. He compared their feud as Michael Jordan vs. Lebron James. Cena talks about calling out The Rock in the press. He said he lacked perspective at the time at what The Rock was doing in his career. Cena talks about Rock trashing him on television and wanting a chance to “throw a punch.” He said he felt like The Rock was being protected at first when he came back to WWE and that he wasn’t given a chance to respond at first.
Jericho brings up Cena mentioning that Rock’s promo was written on his arm. “You’re supposed to be the duke of the microphone and you come out like this? Not on my watch. Not here.” Cena said this is where the Yankees play and you leave the playbook at home. Jericho asks what Rock’s reaction was. Cena said he was pissed. “We had some abrasive times,” adds Cena. He said he now appreciates the time they worked together as it let him see things through his eyes. Cena said Rock was always professional backstage. He talked about telling Rock backstage that it was never personal and that it was him who had to set up to get on Rock’s level to make things as interesting as possible.
Jericho brings up the crowd turning against him early on as a babyface. “My indentity went from hip hop guy to this.” He talks about developing into himself and people either like that or don’t. “It went from ah they were giving him, this up, to man, I just don’t like this,” added Cena. Jericho asks if the negative reaction ever bothered him. Cena said no. “I was ready to play any hand.” Jericho asks why he thinks people chanted “Cena Sucks” at him. Cena said they are a TV-PG program and he is out there just doing his thing. “You cannot please everybody.” He talks about seeing the kids in the crowd just react and loves it.
Jericho talks about Serious Cena vs. Poopy Cena and how Poopy Cena bothers him. Cena smiles and says it may be his poor attempt at trying to mix things up.
The will you ever turn heel conversation is brought up by Jericho. “It was discussed briefly in the program with The Rock and immediately I ran off. Recorded new theme music, got new gear made – and this was just a casual we are thinking about this.” He said the flip side would be trying to explain to the audience, especially the younger kids, what his character was now doing. Jericho asks if he would be open to turning heel. Cena said he would be open to it and truly hopes they have someone. “I don’t think John Cena turning heel is letting the kids down. I think no one to give the kids that moment is letting the kids down.” Cena then adds, “It’s not like I don’t want to.”
Cena is asked about his favorite match. He says always his next one and hesitates to pick just one. Jericho asks if he had to pick, what would it be? Cena picks his first match with The Rock at WrestleMania 28. Jericho said a lot was put on Cena’s shoulders with that with The Rock not always being around. He asks Cena what his relationship with The Rock is now. Cena said it is awesome and gives him “gems of career advice.”
When asked about the future of John Cena, Cena said he likes to take it one day at a time.
The show closes live on the WWE Network.