As the wrestling world prepares to bid farewell to one of its most iconic figures, John Cena is taking time to reflect on the moments that defined his legacy—and few moments are as memorable as his grand entrances on the grandest stage of them all: WrestleMania.
During an appearance at Fan Expo Dallas, the 16-time World Champion opened up about his most unforgettable entrances over the years. Known for his show-stealing arrivals—from motorcades and impersonators to dramatic thematic performances—Cena’s entrances have become as legendary as his matches.
A heel turn and a simple statement
Interestingly, it was Cena’s most understated entrance that recently earned his praise. Speaking candidly, he admitted that his entrance at his final WrestleMania may be his favorite, precisely because it lacked the spectacle fans have come to expect.
“Man, I like this last one because it was super plain,” Cena revealed.
The entrance, marking his first and only main event walk to the ring as a heel, was devoid of pyrotechnics, props, or fanfare. It was a simple walk—raw and stripped down. But for John Cena, that simplicity carried meaning. He noted that early in his WrestleMania career, it was another star’s entrance that inspired him to raise the bar.
“I remember my first WrestleMania main event for a world championship was against JBL, and he came out in a limousine and he dropped money with his face on it,” Cena recalled. “We rehearsed his entrance and I’m looking at this going like, ‘this is fantastic.’ I turned to him, I go, ‘where’s my entrance?’ Deadpan, he turns to me, he goes, ‘you’re winning. That’s enough!’”
That memory would serve as the catalyst for Cena’s future elaborate entrances. But as the WWE landscape evolved and over-the-top entrances became more common, Cena felt it was time to break the mold once again—this time, with restraint.
“This year I just wanted to flip it and go like as bare bones simple as I could,” he added. “So I like this one.”
John Cena's heartfelt memory with make-a-wish
Still, even his recent understated entrance couldn’t hold the top spot for long. Reflecting further, John Cena cited a deeply emotional moment as the most special.
“I got to take that back. Sorry. Got to take that back,” Cena corrected himself. “I had a chance to bring 50 kids from the Make-A-Wish Foundation on the stage for WrestleMania. There’s nothing like the view out of the tunnel when you look at the stadium and it’s just bananas. So the fact that I got to share that moment with some close friends that day, that was pretty big up too.”
With his retirement on the horizon, John Cena’s reflections underscore what’s made his career so remarkable—not just the titles or accolades, but the unforgettable experiences, both theatrical and human, that defined him as a performer and a person.