John Cena has spoken about the challenging period WWE faced after the decline of the Attitude Era, highlighting how he took on the role of the company’s top star after Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock exited. The late 1990s Attitude Era helped WWE secure victory over WCW in the Monday Night Wars, but key departures paved the way for a tough transition.
Stone Cold Steve Austin left WWE due to creative disagreements, while The Rock departed to pursue a successful film career in Hollywood. These significant exits left a void in the promotion as the company tried to find new direction during uncertain times.
Insights from FAN EXPO: Cena Reflects on Eddie Guerrero’s Impact
At the FAN EXPO event in Denver, Cena was asked about how Eddie Guerrero influenced his career. Cena, who calls himself the “Last Real Champion,” shared insights on the lessons he learned from Guerrero and the WWE’s transitional era.
“WWE went through a boom in the Attitude Era and then all those guys, we fired Stone Cold. The Rock left, The Undertaker got hurt, we changed the name, the XFL failed. There was a lot of upside down stuff. We started SmackDown and it had Kurt Angle as its anchor, but we brought Eddie Guerrero and a bunch of [new guys] like Edge and me and a bunch of other new guys and people trying to find their way,” he said. —John Cena, WWE Superstar
Cena also recounted practical advice Guerrero gave him during this time.
“Eddie was our champion for a certain period of time. And he used to tell me that it is the night when the fewest people show up that you have to work 10 times as hard because the presence in that area isn’t as strong,” Cena added. —John Cena, WWE Superstar
This period, known as the Ruthless Aggression Era, saw stars like Kurt Angle and Eddie Guerrero establish a foundation that allowed John Cena to rise as WWE’s flagship performer over the next decade.
John Cena Approaches Final Dates of Career-Ending Tour
John Cena made a surprise return on WWE programming last week during SmackDown, marking his first appearance since Night of Champions. The episode featured a tense contract signing with his SummerSlam opponent, Cody Rhodes, which ended with Cena being incapacitated and Rhodes signing in his stead.
With this recent appearance, Cena now has only 14 shows remaining on his retirement tour, which is expected to conclude by mid-December. The next scheduled appearance for Cena is slated for the SmackDown episode airing just before SummerSlam on August 1.
WWE’s Testing Times and Looking Ahead
The aftermath of the Attitude Era proved turbulent for WWE as it navigated the loss of several top stars amid failed ventures like the XFL and injuries to cornerstone figures such as The Undertaker. However, the efforts of emerging wrestlers like Eddie Guerrero, Kurt Angle, and John Cena helped the company rebuild.
Cena’s reflections emphasize how these testing times shaped the careers of a generation of wrestlers and set the stage for WWE’s future. As Cena’s retirement tour nears its end, his role in ushering WWE through this critical transition remains significant for the company’s history and ongoing evolution.
