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John Cena is one of the first names that comes to mind whenever anybody talks about WWE. With 16 world titles in his kitty, he is one of the greatest superstars the company has produced.
However, The Cenation Leader was not always interested in wrestling. In fact, he initially wanted to be a bodybuilder.
In this article, we'll take a walk down memory lane and relive some moments of John Cena's journey through five rare photos from before he joined WWE.
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#5. The school life of John Cena
A young John Cena with a unique haircut can be seen in the above picture. John Cena attended the Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, Massachusetts. During that time, he was bullied for his scrawny appearance and dressing sense. This lit a flame in him to prove himself.
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Cena later went on to play American football at Springfield College. He served as a captain and led the program to its first-ever NCAA Division III tournament in 1988.
He is on the list of notable alumni of Cushing and occasionally visits the academy to provide key speeches.
#4. Bodybuilding was his initial ambition
John Cena started weight training at the age of 12. He even completed his college degree in exercise physiology. This gave him the confidence to become a competitive bodybuilder.
After moving to California, Cena started training at the “Mecca of Bodybuilding” - the Venice Beach Gold’s Gym. He played various competitions to showcase his muscle, as you can see from the picture above.
Although his dream of bodybuilding was not successful, he got featured in advertisements for Gold’s Gym. It proved to be crucial as WWE took notice of him, one thing led to another, and the rest, as they say, is history.
#3. Meeting 2Pac
John Cena has been influenced by hip-hop culture since his teen years. Rap music played a major role in his life. It even gave rise to his signature "You Can't See Me" taunt, which was copied from American rapper Tony Yayo.
The 16-time world champion even involved hip-hop in his WWE persona. He adopted the look and personality of a trash-talking rapper. This gave him a distinct identity, paving the way for Cena to carve an iconic gimmick. Fans still remember the dissing and rapping skills of “The Doctor of Thuganomics" in WWE.
John Cena's love for rap can be seen in one of his rare pictures shared on Reddit. He is shaking hands with the late rapper Tupac Shakur. The photograph appears to be from before 1996, as that was when Tupac passed away.
John Cena is still an avid follower of hip-hop. His favorites include Eminem, Jay-Z, Jadakiss, and Copywrite.
#2. A rare picture of ultimate fighters in 1999
John Cena’s professional wrestling career began at Ultimate Pro Wrestling. It had various notable names on its roster, including Jimmy Snuka, Rikishi, and Rob Van Dam.
Cena began training there in 1999 and had a semi-robotic character named ‘The Prototype.' The Champ was the UPW heavyweight champion for nearly a month. A period of his career was documented by the Discovery channel. He left the promotion in March 2001.
Samoa Joe was also present in UPW. In the picture, you can see an angry Joe standing alongside Cena.
#1. Beginning the climb to WWE
John Cena signed with Ohio Valley Wrestling in 2001, which is a renowned developmental territory of WWE. He carried his “The Prototype” persona from UPW with him.
During his time there, Cena developed a friendship with Randy Orton. Interestingly, they faced off against each other in The Viper’s last match in OVW.
The picture above tells us the story of both superstars. They would always end up opposite each other in the ring. It initiated an iconic rivalry on the main roster, which fans will remember for ages.
Cena would later earn a promotion to the main roster of WWE. It placed him in the OVW's now-legendary Class of 2002. He and Orton were joined by Brock Lesnar and Batista, a group that would later be dubbed the "OVW 4."
