John Cena Says He Used ‘You Can’t Wrestle Chants’ To Improve, Talks US Title Open Challenge

John Cena recently looked back on the infamous “You Can’t Wrestle chants and how he used those as motivation to improve his skills. Cena became a regular target of the chants, in part due to his “Five Moves Of Doom.” Cena spoke with Tom Rinaldi for a WWE interview ahead of his retirement at Saturday Night’s Main Event. During the conversation, Rinaldi asked Cena about a criticism that has stayed with him.

Cena recalled how he took those chants to heart. He talked about going back to wrestling school to learn and working with talent like CM Punk, Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. Cena also pointed out how he was able to use his US Championship Open Challenge to serve multiple masters. He was able to spotlight new talent while working with them and improving his game. You can see the highlights below:

On A Piece of Criticism That Stayed With Him:

“Yeah, man. The audience, their feedback. And the cool thing is, you don’t have go fishing around to get someone to pull this out of you. The ‘You can’t wrestle’ chants, because I would do the same five moves every time and win all the time. And what I hear from the audience is, ‘I’m seeing other performers do these fantastic things. And at the end of the night, I see you do five moves and win.’ Because in the throughline of the story, I’m setting up a dynasty. And if it ain’t your guy, dynasties are tough. So I’ve learned that. And that was the biggest criticism from the audience of, ‘If you’re my guy.’ Like ‘No dude, this guy gets his ass kicked. He never stops, like he gets thrashed out there. And somehow manages to find another way.’ ‘Yeah, but I see this performer and this performer, and this performer. And their moves are better, and they look better.’

“So in hearing that, I just began to do more stuff. And it looked janky and unorthodox as we’d say. But I listened, and I went back to wrestling school halfway through my career. You know, went to new performers. Was like, ‘What do you think I’ll be good at? Can you teach me some stuff?’ And newer performers like Sami Zayn, like Kevin Owens, like AJ Styles. CM Punk, like… ‘Teach me stuff. What can I do better? How can I make you look great,’ that’s always my lead — ‘and what can you teach me?’ That’s from the audience chanting at the top of their lungs, ‘You can’t wrestle.’ And I know it was just a — like, our audience will continue to lean in until they get you. And it didn’t get me. I didn’t come back and be like, ‘What do they know? I can wrestle.’ No, I’ll try to be better. And I’ll try to be better, and not make it a hard reset. I’ll try to be better and be my authentic self. So a vehicle to do that was like the United States Open Challenge.”

On Using the US Title as a Way To Improve & Spotlight Talent:

“When I won the US Title, right after — I think two years after main eventing with The Rock at MetLife. And two years later, I have the United States Champion. This is another throughline of my career: nothing is a demotion. It’s simply an opportunity. And I don’t know how many performers, after being at such a standard, would look at, ‘I’m not doing the US Title. It’s beneath me.’ I was like, ‘Lemme have that. I can do something with this.’

“And when I get it, I’m like, ‘Well, what are your plans?’ ‘Nothing.’ ‘That’s great. Because now I can make something with it.’ And I used it as a way to try to get high-profile matches on TV. Longer matches on TV, because at that time we were looking for matches and less talk. And profile new Superstars. So every time I came out, ‘Who’s it gonna be?’ So I have all this new talent, talent that could teach me. So I’m learning, we’re giving these guys a chance. And they get a chance to hear the noise, to hit that one good golf shot, see what it feels like.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit WWE with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.