WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson shared details about mentoring John Cena during the early stages of Cena’s WWE career in an interview with Bill Apter for Sportskeeda’s WrestleBinge. Anderson explained how he was given the responsibility by Vince McMahon to help develop Cena, who was inexperienced at the time, focusing on storytelling and generating audience reaction.
Teaching the Fundamentals of Wrestling Storytelling
Arn Anderson said,
“John Cena was handed to me by Vince McMahon. And [Vince] said ‘We got a kid that’s got some potential here, Arn. Teach him. He’s all yours.’ He didn’t know s**t from Shinola when he started. I was his agent for 10 straight years at least with WWF. I took all of his matches. I helped him learn the simple art of storytelling and getting heat was something that John was foreign to him.”
—Arn Anderson, WWE Hall of Famer
He elaborated that the challenge was not just helping Cena be disliked as a heel but to teach him how to get invested heat as a babyface, which was unfamiliar territory for Cena.
Emphasizing the Importance of Creating a Strong Opponent
Anderson described a key lesson he taught Cena regarding audience engagement through rivalry. He stated,
“When I’m talking about now getting heat on him, not him being a heel and getting heat, I’m talking about him being a babyface. I taught him, I think, I’m pretty sure, make your opponent. ‘John, if you make your opponent on the front end, I quit looking at your body and I look at the other guy as having a chance.’ Because if you just take it on face value, who would be the guy that was jacked like that? Nobody, right?”
—Arn Anderson, WWE Hall of Famer
Anderson stressed the importance of sustaining this dynamic throughout the entire match by adding,
“So make your opponent, create an opponent, and do it bell to bell.”
—Arn Anderson, WWE Hall of Famer
Impact of Mentorship on John Cena’s WWE Career
This mentorship was a critical part of John Cena’s development in WWE, helping him grasp the art of wrestling psychology and audience interaction, which contributed to his eventual rise as a 17-time World Champion. Anderson’s guidance shaped Cena’s ability to engage fans not only as a dominant physical competitor but as a compelling character who could create tension and storytelling inside the ring.
