When John Cena returned to WWE on the last SmackDown of 2022, he not only helped out Kevin Owens with his ongoing rivalry with The Bloodline but also gave some advice to an up-and-coming star.
On the show, Cena teamed up with KO to defeat Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn. This meant that he kept his streak of wrestling at least once a year in WWE alive with only two days to spare.
John Cena didn’t just help out in the ring
During an appearance on the AP Pro Football Podcast, Top Dolla of Hit Row revealed that Cena took time out to give him advice, at least partly because the 16-time World Champion also first gained popularity with a hip-hop gimmick.
“When [John Cena] came back a few months ago, we sat down and had a conversation in his dressing room. He just gave me some free game because we’re doing our hip-hop characters and he was the most successful hip-hop character in wrestling history.
“Being able to take free game from him about how to do it and do it the right way, it was huge. He was so good at and that’s what made him a megstar.”
Dolla also spoke about his inspiration for becoming a wrestler in the first place, Cena’s old nemesis Dwayne Johnson.
“The Rock is the reason that I’m a wrestler. I grew up a huge fan of The Rock. Without him, I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing today. He made me care. He was the guy.
“To this day, I’m still a huge fan of his, even though I’ve met him. I’m still a huge fan of his. The Rock, definitely, is the guy who had a big impact on me. As well as John Cena.”
John Cena will next be in action at WrestleMania 39, where he will take on Austin Theory with the United States Championship on the line.
H/T to Fightful for the above transcription