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Jonathan Felix Anthony Cena, Jr. (born April 23, 1977 in West Newbury, Massachusetts), better known to wrestling fans simply as John Cena, is an Italian-American professional wrestler, rap music artist, and currently performs for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on the RAW brand, where he is the current WWE Champion. Cena brought the once SmackDown!-exclusive WWE Championship belt to RAW on June 6, 2005 when he was drafted to RAW during the 2005 Draft. Cena has released a music CD, You Can't See Me, with Tha Trademarc, and has performed live concerts with Tha Trademarc and Bumpy Knuckles.

Before his professional wrestling career, John Cena was a bodybuilder, college football star, a team captain and All-American center for Division III at Springfield College. While at Springfield, he earned a degree in exercise physiology.

World Wrestling Entertainment

Cena's first televised WWE match was against Kurt Angle on June 27, 2002. Angle was giving "free shots" at himself to newcomers. Inspired by Vince McMahon's recent, somewhat inscrutable, speech to WWE's rising stars, exhorting them to show "ruthless aggression" to earn a place among the legends, Cena took advantage of this opportunity. He almost beat Kurt Angle, kicking out of the Angle Slam and surviving the Ankle Lock submission hold, but ultimately losing to a hard amateur-style pin.

Cena was a typical face, an underdog in each match, which at first did not get much reaction from the fans. After losing with then baby face, Billy Kidman in a tournament match for the new WWE Tag Team Championships, Cena turned heel and blamed Kidman for the loss. Shortly after his heel turn, on a Halloween episode of SmackDown!, he performed a freestyle rap in a Vanilla Ice costume to Stephanie McMahon, and his gimmick was changed to that of a white rapper. At first, this gimmick got Cena a lot of heel heat from the fans, but he was later cheered by them due to the freestyle raps he made about other wrestlers. During his run as a heel, Cena feuded with the Undertaker and Chris Benoit and also got some help from the Full Blooded Italians. One of Cena's first trademark symbols was a modified, classic WWF logo (without the "F") with the slogan "Word Life."

Cena also feuded with Brock Lesnar. During that feud, he derived his signature finishing maneuver, the F-U as a counterpart to Lesnar's similar F-5 move. Later, when Lesnar turned heel, they briefly joined forces. However, due to his growing popularity, Cena eventually turned face, betraying Lesnar and feuding with him again. Cena established his signature "You can't see me" catch phrase and hand gesture during this time as well. In a 2003 Survivor Series match, he was on a team led by Kurt Angle with Benoit, John "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL) and Holly against Lesnar, The Big Show, Nathan Jones, Matt Morgan and A-Train. In the end Cena hit the F-U on The Big Show and got the final pin, leaving him and Benoit as the sole survivors. The two superstars ended their feud there, though they would later fight each other during Cena's run for the WWE United States Championship.

Second WWE Championship reign

At the 2006 Royal Rumble, Cena regained the WWE Championship by forcing Edge to tap out to the STF-U. He would successfully defend the title against Edge in a later rematch.

On February 20 2006, Triple H defeated RVD and Big Show to win the Road to WrestleMania Tournament which in turn gave him a title shot at Cena's WWE Championship at WrestleMania 22. On the February 27, 2006 edition of RAW, Triple H and John Cena went face-to-face verbal confrontation in the middle of the ring. Triple H accused Cena several times of lacking in-ring ability, saying "Well, excuse me if I'm not afraid of the guy whose one big move is pumpin' up his Reeboks."

The two men were then informed by Vince McMahon that they would be teaming up as partners in a handicap match prior to WrestleMania 22. Their opponents: Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton, and the World Heavyweight Champion, Kurt Angle. This match occurred at the return of Saturday Night's Main Event on March 18, 2006. Despite Triple H's attempts to injure Cena, Cena was able to roll up Orton for the pin.

On the March 20, 2006 edition of RAW, Cena and Shawn Michaels were scheduled for a tag-team match against Triple H and Shane McMahon. Cena, however, was "disqualified" from the match by Vince McMahon early for hitting Shane with a closed fist, even though Shane was not the legal tag member in the ring. The then-handicap match of HHH & Shane vs Michaels turned bloody for HBK as he proceeded to take a beating. Cena reapeared in the ring in time to save Michaels and they together proceeded to beat up Triple H and a host of Vince's bodyguards as both of the McMahons ran away up the ramp. On the March 27 edition of RAW, Michaels faced Triple H and Cena faced McMahon; both Cena and HBK were left bloodied after McMahon intentionally cost himself the match by DQ.

Outside of wrestling

Music and movies

John Cena also makes rap music. He performed his fifth WWE entrance song, "Basic Thugonomics", which was featured on the WWE soundtrack album WWE Originals. His track "Untouchables" was featured on Theme Addict, another WWE soundtrack album. His debut album which he recorded alongside his cousin Tha Trademarc, You Can't See Me features his current entrance theme "My Time is Now". Tha Trademarc is currently working on his own album which will feature John Cena. The first single from the You Can't See Me album was "Bad, Bad Man". The music video for the song, a parody of 1980s culture and the television show The A-Team, premiered on an edition of SmackDown!. WWE premiered the music video for Cena's second single, "Right Now", on the August 8 edition of RAW.

John Cena has worked with several personalities in the Hip-Hop industry, such as Freddie Foxx (Bumpy Knuckles), 7L, Esoteric, Murs (including a music video), E-40 and Chingo Bling. He and Method Man were also featured in SmackDown! magazine and MTV.com. Most recently, Cena and Tha Trademarc are featured on a track by The Perceptionists, "Champion Scratch." Cena has also performed on BBC Two's long running Top of the Pops, becoming the first professional wrestler to perform on the program.

A division of World Wrestling Entertainment, WWE Films produces and fully finances motion pictures under the supervision of Joel Simon, President of of the company. John Cena's first movie credit will be the lead role in The Marine, a film directed by John Bonito, co-starring Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Walk the Line) and Kelly Carlson (Nip/Tuck). WWE has completed a deal with 20th Century Fox to distribute The Marine theatrically in 2006. Stars of other movies by WWE Films include Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Kane, and Triple H.

Guest appearances

Prior to his debut in WWE, Cena made a guest appearance on the Internet stream show Go Sick in 2001 as an angry, cursing wrestler called Bruebaker.

During his WWE career, Cena has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live on July 23, 2005 in order to promote his CD, WWE, and SummerSlam 2005. Other appearances include Fuse's Daily Download, FOX Sports Net's Best Damn Sports Show Period, G4's Training Camp(also with Shelton Benjamin), and he has also served as a co-presenter with Hulk Hogan on the 2005 Teen Choice Awards show.

Cena also was the guest on the October 23, 2005 episode of "Wally's World" on NBC's Bank of America Countdown to Green where he rode with NBC analyst Wally Dallenbach around Martinsville Speedway, then proceeded to put NBC pit reporter Marty Snider into a submission move. (NBC Universal owns the USA Network, which broadcasts WWE RAW.)

Cena appeared on the November 26, 2005 episode of Mad TV, appearing in the opening segment and in a 24 spoof skit with cast member Bobby Lee.

Cena was also a guest judge on the March 28, 2006 edition of Nashville Star.

Wrestling facts

"The Six Moves of Doom"

Cena's "Six Moves of Doom" is a term that some wrestling fans use to refer to a combo of moves Cena uses in some of his matches that leads to the pin or submission. The following are the six moves and are in the approximate order in which Cena uses them (the fifth move can be either the finishing move or the set-up for the sixth and final move):

1. Flying shoulder block
2. Sitout hip toss or multiple clotheslines
3. Killswitch / Protobomb (Side release spin-out powerbomb)
4. Five Knuckle Shuffle (Fist drop with theatrics)
5. F-U (Standing fireman's carry takeover or fireman's carry powerslam)
6. STF-U (Stepover toehold sleeper)

Finishing and signature moves

• F-U (Standing fireman's carry takeover or fireman's carry powerslam)
• STF-U (Stepover toehold sleeper)
• Killswitch (Side release spin-out powerbomb)
• 5 Knuckle Shuffle (Fist drop with theatrics)
• Top-Rope Leg Drop
• Flying shoulder block
• Spinning Takeover (Sitout hip toss)
• Freestyle / Protoplex (Swinging fisherman suplex)
• Throwback (Modified neck snap)
• Spinebuster
• Top-Rope Crossbody
• DDT
• Snap suplex
• Twisting Belly-to-Belly Suplex (Twisting belly to belly suplex)
• Bulldog
• Powerslam

Signature illegal weapons

• Steel chain
• Brass knuckles
• Chain Gang pendant

Signature taunts

• Waving one hand in front of his face and saying "You can't see me."
• Pumping up his Reebok Pump sneakers.
• Putting his hands up while spreading them and putting his thumb sideways and his pinky up, meaning "Word Life".
• Occasionally freestyling on his opponents before his matches.
• Screaming "The Champ is Here!" (when he holds a championship)
• Spinning his spinner title championship belt.

Personal information

Cena's wrestling influences include Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold, and The Rock. Cena's father, also named John Cena, works in the pro wrestling business as New England independent wrestling announcer and manager Johnny Fabulous.

Championships and accomplishments

• Ohio Valley Wrestling

• 1-time OVW Heavyweight Champion
• 1-time OVW Southern Tag Team Champion, with Rico Constantino

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated

• PWI Most Improved Wrestler Award (2003)
• PWI Most Popular Wrestler Award (2004)
• PWI Most Popular Wrestler Award (2005)

• Ultimate Pro Wrestling

• 1-time UPW Champion

• World Wrestling Entertainment

• 2-time WWE Champion (current)
• 3-time WWE United States Champion

Championship succession

Footnotes

1. "College football career". shopping.yahoo.com. Retrieved January 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
2. "College academics". biography.ms. Retrieved January 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
3. "Wrestling triva before WWE". www.imdb.com. Retrieved January 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
4. "Cena still the champion due to disqualification". www.wwe.com. Retrieved January 31. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
5. "Cena to star in new movie, The Marine". columbiarecords.com. Retrieved January 31. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

External links

• John Cena at IMDb
• WWE page
• Official Myspace page
• Cena Thuganomics (fansite)
• Cena Net (fansite)

• 1977 births
• Actor-singers
• American bloggers
• American film actors
• American professional wrestlers
• American football offensive linemen
• Entertainers who played football
• American rappers
• People from Massachusetts
• White rappers
• Living people