John Cena has looked back on partying days on the road in WWE and revealed his favourite person to have a drink with.
Speaking on ‘Whiskey Ginger with Andrew Santino.’, Cena recalled that in his day WWE Superstars would go out parting after every show, good or bad.
“That was every night. The great thing about WWE, and I think it runs parallel to stand-up, is when you book a 65-day tour, if show 4 bombs, you still gotta make show 5. But yeah, it’s a pick 6. You got to get back in the field.
“So those nights where you stunk out the joint were the most productive because you could really lean into the guys and lean into the guy you’re working with, or the people around you who you trust and give you an honest opinion to be like, ‘Hey, this is what I was going for and it didn’t work. Why?'”
The 16-Time World Champion went on to explain that nights out drinking were the best place to get “some wisdom” from his peers, although things are different now.
“It used to be a little bit more of a fraternal society where you kind of had to go out afterwards to get some wisdom. Nowadays, the business has evolved and in great ways.
“I romanticise about that period a lot because it was just super fun, but guys (now) are paid better. Guys are treated better. There’s less of a work schedule.
“So I don’t know how much that still exists. I know today, I just try to pass on wisdom at the show because I don’t know the life anybody lives. Back then there was a lot of camaraderie, a lot of brotherhood, and if you weren’t in, you were out.”
John Cena says there’s “no comparison” to Ric Flair
When asked who was the most fun to go drinking with, Cena said it had to be Ric Flair due to his “lust for life”.
“Everybody, but I don’t think there’s a comparison, Ric Flair. He just has so much energy. He’s got such a tremendous lust for life and I am drawn to that. I’m drawn to people who love life.
“There is a tipping point where it becomes counterproductive. You don’t want to live like today is your last day because it could be, but I tried to find a little bit of balance. But man he was always great.”
Another legend Cena liked to pick the brains of was the late, great Pat Patterson.
“Pat Patterson was always great. The late Pat Patterson was always great because these guys not only are there because they want to socialize and share, they have all this fu**ing wisdom. Ric especially, and Pat, weren’t jaded. Ric still isn’t jaded.
“We all have bad days, but he loves this. He’s not one of those guys who will drink and be like, ‘F**k this. You don’t understand. They fu**ed me and this is how they fu**ed me.’ Whoever that element was, I just never went around. I just always gravitated towards people who were having a good time.”
John Cena will next be in action at WrestleMania 39 where he is set to take on Austin Theory with the United States Championship on the line.
H/T to WrestlingNews.co for the above transcription