The Undertaker became a top star in WWE almost immediately after his unforgettable debut at Survivor Series 1990 and managed to remain a prominent figure in the wrestling industry until his retirement in 2020.
Numerous stars have spoken about the respect the Phenom commanded backstage and noted how he was a locker room leader that was always on hand to mentor younger wrestlers and offer advice to his peers throughout his 30-year tenure in the company.
However, not everyone took The Undertaker’s advice on board, including one notable name that went to become a 16-time World Champion in WWE.
“He Proved Me Wrong” – The Undertaker On John Cena
John Cena had one of the most memorable debuts in WWE history when he answered Kurt Angle’s open challenge on the June 27th 2002 edition of SmackDown and pushed the Olympic Gold Medallist to his limit.
Despite coming up short in his match against Angle, Cena received a lot of praise for his performance from his peers when he returned backstage, even earning a handshake from the WWE Champion at the time, The Undertaker.
Speaking on the ‘After The Bell’ podcast with Corey Graves in 2020, the Deadman recalled his first impressions of Cena:
“When John came out early on, I had never thought in a million years that he would get over to the extent that he did, and pleasantly surprised at how over John got.”
Cena went on to become one of the biggest stars in WWE history, but outside of the ring, he also became known for his incredible work ethic and hectic work schedule. In the same podcast, Taker recalled speaking to Cena about his schedule and offered some advice, which was ultimately ignored:
“I’ve actually told him that one time. I said, ‘John, for your sake, you need to learn the word no because,’ I mean he did everything, he never did. He proved me wrong, but I just said, ‘man, you’re going to burn yourself out.’ He’s amazing.”
It all worked out well for John Cena in the end, with one legend recently labelling him the “greatest WWE Superstar of all time.”
H/t to EssentiallySports.com