During a recent interview with The Breakfast Club, John Cena discusses SmackDown promo failure from the June 13th episode, opening up about how the live audience in Lexington, Kentucky reacted negatively to his attempt at a new approach. Cena, the current Undisputed WWE Champion, candidly described the evening as a significant setback in front of WWE fans and fellow performers.
Cena Shares the Behind-the-Scenes Experience
Cena admitted the challenge of setting the tone at the start of the show, especially with several performers waiting to make their entrance. He was tasked with capturing the audience‘s attention in just five minutes and explaining the motives behind his character, who is traditionally portrayed in conflict with the crowd rather than trying to excite them.
“I had a pretty good failure two weeks ago, I think. I was out in front of a live audience, not Grand Rapids, where were we — Lexington, Kentucky. I’d opened the show. I had five minutes to speak before three other performers came out and that’s a real hard spot to be in because I can’t do any action yet, you kind of got to tell people what my purpose is and my character is not someone to rile up the audience, it’s somebody against the audience. I took the route of, okay, evil mastermind, I’d like to explain my plan and I did for five minutes. I planned this, all this shit, I knew this would happen so I made this move, I knew this would happen. I thought it was well constructed, I thought it was dropping easter eggs for fans. They fucking hated it. The great thing is, they loved when the next three guys came out, so the bit itself worked. But man, it was crickets. I know the noise. I really cannot wait for this to be over, I really thought this was going to work.’”
—John Cena, WWE Champion
The Fallout and Reactions from the Lexington Audience
The reaction in the arena was immediate and unmistakable. Cena described the silence from the crowd as “crickets,” underscoring the emotional impact the negative feedback had on him. He recounted how the atmosphere changed dramatically once the subsequent performers took the stage, drawing cheers and excitement from the audience. Despite careful planning and insider references intended for loyal fans, Cena acknowledged that his strategy did not achieve the intended connection with the crowd in Lexington, Kentucky.
What This Means for Cena’s WWE Character
This reflection offers insight into the risks top WWE personalities like Cena take when experimenting with storytelling and performance, especially in live broadcasts where audience reactions are unpredictable. Cena’s openness about the SmackDown promo failure highlights the delicate balance required to engage both new and longtime WWE fans each week. As Cena continues to evolve his character, the lessons from Lexington are likely to influence his future appearances in the ring.
