John Cena contends that the relentless demands of professional wrestling were instrumental in molding the private lives of Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair.
During a recent appearance on What Now? with Trevor Noah, the 17-time WWE World Champion was asked about Hogan and Flair, specifically whether the two legends had changed over the years or were simply misunderstood by the public.
Cena suggested the truth lies somewhere in between, particularly when accounting for the era in which both men became household names.
“I think it’s more complex than that. I think as performers in a day and age where they sold it as a shoot, or as real, these are real fights, the personalities had less time away from the personality,” Cena said.
He elaborated on the punishing travel schedules wrestlers endured during WWE’s national expansion in the 1980s, noting that competitors spent the bulk of their lives embodying their on-screen characters.
“And keep in mind, in the globalization of wrestling, when Vince McMahon took over in the early ’80s, the schedule was arduous. I’m talking 30 days on, seven days off. 30 days on, seven days off or less.”
Cena continued, explaining how those conditions made it increasingly difficult for performers such as Hogan and Flair to disentangle their actual identities from their wrestling personas.
“And you’re doing your own promotion. So you spend more time as the IP than you do as a human. This is why when you talk to Ric Flair, whom I love and respect, even on his doc, ‘Richard Fliehr is dead. I’m Ric Flair.’ Hogan, Terry [Bollea], he went away a while ago. Like, ‘I’m Hulk.’”
According to Cena, upholding the belief that professional wrestling was genuine competition required performers to stay dedicated to their roles even when they were not in the ring.
“So when it’s supposed to be real, you got these guys who are trying to convince fans to come in the building and see them, and they assume the role, and it’s really tough to shut the switch off.”
Cena also reflected on the medium’s shift from presenting itself as a legitimate sport to openly accepting its role as entertainment.
While noting that the transition posed challenges, Cena believes the link between performers and viewers has persisted throughout wrestling history.
“But the audience has always been rabid, whether they thought it was real or they know that they’re coming to a show. Wrestling has always been filmed, shot, consumed as the audience is just as important as the performer, whether you know it or not,” Cena said.
He drew a parallel between the significance of wrestling crowds and the fervent atmosphere typical of European football, underscoring how much fan participation enhances the overall show.
“We want them to keep being as rowdy as you can because if we perform to apathetic silence, it’s really just kind of two guys in their underwear doing stunts.”
Cena has often discussed the progression of professional wrestling throughout his career, having witnessed the industry’s shift toward a more openly entertainment-driven product during his tenure as WWE’s leading star.
Also during the interview, John Cena clarified why he feels WWE’s transition to the PG Era ultimately proved beneficial for the company in the long term.
