WWE Superstar Montez Ford feels honoured that he was able to compete against one of his childhood heroes, John Cena.
In 2023, Cena would return to WWE for an extended period as all other projects were put on hold due to the SAG-AFTRA strike in Hollywood. While the 16-time Champion only competed in 3 televised matches in India, Saudi Arabia and Indianapolis, Cena would compete in dark matches at SmackDown tapings.
On September 22nd 2023, Cena would face Ford after the former Tag Team Champion had competed earlier in the night alongside Angelo Dawkins to take on Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar. Looking back on that night, Ford admitted he had no idea he would be facing off against 2 of his idols on the same night.
Speaking with Adrian Hernandez, Ford described what wrestling Cena meant to him and how it still feels unreal looking back on it:
“I was the same way you felt. I didn’t know that was gonna happen either [laughs]. It was amazing, though. John Cena, man. I could sit here and talk about ages and years and times how he inspires me, inspires someone else, inspires someone I know, inspires someone that’s still watching, inspires someone that’s not in the wrestling realm. He, to a lot of people, is the GOAT, man. For me to have the opportunity to face someone I watched as a child and idolized as well, and being on the same level, competing in a one-on-one match, is unprecedented man.
I just remember being there, going like, ‘I can’t effing believe this is happening.’ This little tadpole that’s running around Chicago and in North Carolina with these WWE Championships is now in the ring with arguably to some people the greatest of all time. It was just mind-blowing, man. Still to this day, I go back because my pictures will pop up on my timeline, and I’ll see it, and I’ll be, ‘Jesus, man. That happened.’
The former Tag Tag Champion continued, noting how media days can be challenging but getting to wrestle two legends on the same night makes it worth the extra days of work:
“You can smile and be of grace for four hours [during media days] because granted, to some people, it may be difficult or hard to have media junkets for four hours, but when you look at the things that you can do leading or after or before those media junkets, it makes everything worth the while because you’ll find yourself in the ring with John Cena [laughs].
I had two matches that night. I had a tag match with Rey, then I had the match at the end of the night with John. It was the same night. A lot of people, when I came backstage, they were like, ‘You know you wrestled Rey Mysterio and John Cena the same night? What’s going on?’ I was like, ‘Well, they love me’ [laughs].”
Venturing out into wider projects, Ford has recently released his debut album.
John Cena Gives Amusing Assessment Of His Stamina
Approaching the end of his career, Cena only has a handful of matches left before he calls time on his 20-plus-year in-ring career. Very aware that he is unable to keep up with a lot of stars of today, John Cena gave a quirky assessment of his current conditioning.
H/t to Fightful.