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During the late 1990s, WWE’s “Attitude Era” was defined by its edgier, more rebellious content, where creative boundaries were often pushed to entertain the audience. However, after this era ended, WWE found itself in need of new stars to lead the company. With The Rock transitioning to Hollywood and Stone Cold Steve Austin retiring due to injuries, John Cena emerged as the top babyface of the company. WWE Hall of Famer JBL recently shared in an interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling that Cena took on one of the most challenging roles in wrestling history.
“John Cena had the hardest role in wrestling history,” JBL said. “He followed the Attitude Era, where you could flip off your boss, drink beer on TV, and girls were dressed in next to nothing, sometimes nothing. But he had to be the champion in a PG, sometimes G-rated era. I don’t think anybody in the history of the business could have done that except for John Cena. It’s incredible what he did. I’d love to see him win his 17th championship.”
JBL emphasized how Cena successfully transitioned from the edgier “Doctor of Thuganomics” persona to becoming WWE’s top babyface, leading the company in an era where the content had to be family-friendly. This shift made his role especially difficult, given the stark contrast to the freedom and edginess of the Attitude Era.
Most recently, at WWE Money in the Bank this past July, Cena announced his upcoming retirement tour for 2025, signaling the end of his in-ring career by the close of next year. Cena also revealed that he plans to work around 36 dates, including appearances at the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 41, to mark the final chapter of his storied wrestling career.
