Lines by John Cena 4
John CenaToday you're gonna hear a lot of things from a lot of people. Some you like, some you don't. But the one constant you're gonna hear, the one that rings true, more truer than anything else, and everywhere that's said, is Eddie Guerrero was a great man. He uh, was one of the most passionate individuals about everything that he did I've ever met. On a personal level, when I didn't know anything here, he helped me not only as an in-ring partner, but uh, as a father figure. The stuff that you don't necessarily teach. The uh, the hip tosses and bodyslams. Eddie Guerrero went past that and taught me to find this. [gestures to his heart] That's through all his, his technical prowess, that's what Eddie had best. He had this. And he taught me to find it, he taught me to embrace it. Good, bad, or indifferent. My condolences go out to the Eddie Guerrero family, and I know those in the locker room who were close to him. Chavo of course, Chris Benoit, Rey Mysterio, Dean Malenko. Eddie was a man of faith, so I know he's in a better place, but selfishly, every single one of us will miss him. We love you Eddie.
John Cena
Relax, relax, relax, relax. I'm not gonna go on a profanity-ridden tirade. You don't need a seven-second-delay, Kevin. I'm not gonna show my genitalia. I'm not gonna talk bad about your family or your company. And I know exactly what you're about to do, and I'm okay with it. Because I'm not gonna have to go through the same things that you made Shawn Michaels go through. Shawn Michaels, the best performer ever to step in this ring. But you made him bent over backwards and for all that he accomplished, for all of his achievements, for years, all they said about HBK was that he screwed Bret! No matter how many championships he won, no matter how many times he stopped the show, he carried that burden, and it began to define him, and he had to take it with him his entire career. And you know what? I thought about that a lot last week, Vince, and I put myself in his shoes. If I was in his shoes, would I want to be the guy who screwed Bret? Would I want to be the guy that screwed CM Punk? My answer was no.
I knew exactly what was at stake. I asked for the match. The WWE Championship, my career. But there was more than that. There was more than just John Cena vs. CM Punk in a classic. It was about you. It was about you wanting to keep your little bubble intact - your little universe in one piece. Nobody can embarrass Vince McMahon. And to do that, you thought you needed somebody to play ball, and I was gonna be your patsy. No way! And I know I'm not supposed to say his name, but, Punk, if you are out there watching: It was one hell of a match last night, son. Thank you so much.
[over Vince's protests] Hey, hey, hey, listen. You put me in a position to make a decision. You wanted the match thrown out. I don't do business like that. You're a businessman, you got your way of doin' business. I do my business a certain way, I am not gonna play along with that crap because you would have made the WWE Championship meaningless. So here's the skinny. I had a great career here. And he says he can make another one of me. Fine, Vince, go ahead. Make one, make ten. I don't care. I've even given you some time. You have eight months—-give or take a few days—-to find another opponent for Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at WrestleMania XXVIII. I'm not an idiot, Vince. You'll do some hocus-pocus and you'll find somebody for Dwayne, and WrestleMania will go off without a hitch as if I was never even here. I get it. Meanwhile I get to walk outta here with my pride and my dignity.
So before we get into the formalities and the big Vince-McMahon-walk and the whole speech, which I'm gonna let you do. Go ahead. It's what they know you for. I just need to tell you something. And I want this to sink in. I love the WWE and I truly believe I belong here. And, man, I hate saying this. But if you're about to tell me that I'm not welcome here, if you're about to tell me that I have no other option, I love this. This is what I do. And if you make me walk tonight, then I will walk on someone else's television show and keep doing this, brother! That is no threat, that is a promise. And here's the skinny. There's a lot people out there that say I do a lot of things. But I prove tonight that one thing I will not do is kiss your ass!
[John Cena faces the crowd after the Elimination Chamber turn, and he's having none of the strong crowd language]
John Cena
No, tonight, you get to find out how I make you pay for the abuse you have put me through. For 25 years, I have listened to your lies and your noise, but I didn't waste that time being mean like you, no I paid attention. You make this so easy, while you were chanting profanity at the top of your lungs, I've been paying attention, I've been learning from you, quizzing you, studying you, testing you, prodding you, rewarding you for playing along with your stupid, childish, curse-ridden nursery rhymes. And in doing so, you have told me every single thing about you, you know nothing about me, I know more about you than you, and the truth is, your life is sad, because this, is the best it's gonna get, this is all you have. But to me, you have been nothing more than an experiment, you have been rats in a cage. Oh, you don't believe me? Pick out any moment in my career and I'll tell you what I learned from you, when I bled, you thought I was tough, when I spoke, you were inspired, when I was edgy, you were excited, when I was vanilla, you were bored, [crowd starts chanting "WHAT!"] when I was loyal, you were loved, when I was selfish, you were disrespected, when I speak in rhythmic tones, you say what? You make this so, so simple.
You will always tell me everything about yourselves because you so desperately want to matter. And the most important thing you ever told me was in April 2005, it was a day I gave you my greatest idea, I gave you the WWE Spinner Championship. And just like right now, you ate me alive! All you have to do is Google negative comments about the spinner belt, you all told me loud and clear how stupid I was... Because I changed your championship into a toy and the championship is not a toy. The championship is a symbol, of the center of all this and the toy belt I made for you, disrespected tradition and disrespected your legacy. Listen closely because that was the biggest mistake you ever made, in that one single moment you were vulnerable enough to actually tell you what means the most to you in this life and now that I know that, I am going to ruin wrestling. I am going to ruin wrestling for every fan, for every wrestler, for everyone.
At WrestleMania, I make history by winning a 17th championship, and I finally force you to forget the name of the fun machine, jet-flying, Woo!! Ric Flair, [crowd goes "Woo"] you will forever say the name John Cena. [gets booed] But even worse, I'm going to win that championship, the center, of every superstar, of this entire business, of every fan in this building, I will win that championship and retire with it. I am taking it home with me and leaving all of you to create a brand new toy belt, because the real one comes home with me! I will be the last real champion in WWE, revenge is best served cold and I pay you back by ripping your heart out and forcing you to watch as I just walk away with your memories, with your traditions and your dreams and there is nothing you can do to stop me!
[Moments after winning the Intercontinental Championship, Cena grabs a microphone and climbs to the top turnbuckle]
John Cena
Thank you so much, Boston! Because of you, tonight, THE CHAMP... IS... HERE!!!!! [he raises the Intercontinental Championship in the air, and pyrotechnics explode]
Scenes with John Cena 7
[One week after his vicious attack on Ric Flair, Triple H is seen walking through the hallways of the arena as various people look at him]
[Triple H soon runs into Shawn Michaels, and comes face-to-face with him]
You know, nobody in that locker room has known you as long as I have...you know, and I've always known that you were capable of just about anything, but what you did last week...was too much, Hunter. Was too much.
[Triple H then starts laughing as he walks away from Michaels, passing by various other superstars who stare at him coldly - until he runs into the Big Show]
BSBig Show
I'm telling you right now...someday, you're gonna get yours.
[Triple H slowly backs away from the Big Show, then turns around and comes face-to-face with the WWE champion, John Cena]
John Cena
I don't know you, I ain't gonna judge you, but after last week, you lost some respect.
[starts to walk away but turns back to Cena] You know, if I were you, the last thing I'd want to do is get my attention, you know what I mean?
John
You know me. You want some? [taps WWE Championship] Come get some!
Don't you worry. When I want some, [angrily points to title] I'll take it!
[As Triple H starts to leave, a random worker accidentally bumps into him, and in response, Triple H throws him to the ground]
Come on! [Triple H grins and walks away] Now - uhh...what was the...? Damn.
I'm not gonna have you sit here and belittle me. Say I've lost sight? I've lost sight of things, John? The reason I say I'm gonna take that and walk out is because I don't fit a certain mold. Because I am the underdog, and that's exactly what you've lost sight of. Earlier in this ring, you mentioned great wrestlers like Eddie Guerrero and you said that they used to look at you and think that the kid couldn't hang. And now you stand here and look at me as the kid that can't hang. John, I was hanging off of your gangster car, WrestleMania 22, as it rolled down in Chicago, Illinois, and I stood there in a suit looking as ridiculous as [points to Vince McMahon] that man looks right now in his suit, holding a phony Tommy gun, and I said to myself someday, I'm not gonna be standing out there watching you in the ring; I was gonna be standing in the ring watching you go down to CM Punk. And now here we are in your hometown of Boston. And now next week, we'll be back there in my hometown—Chicago, Illinois. And this...this is the part where I talk 'em into the building. See, you are the one that's lost sight, and I apologize for raising my voice because I'm not that guy. But when you stand here and tell me that I've lost sight, when you, the 10-time Champion who stands for hustle, loyalty and respect; who, from Boston, Massachusetts, lives and breathes these red colors, the same colors as your beloved Red Sox, who also portray themselves as the underdog, I'm sure just like the Bruins portray themselves as the underdog. Just like the Patriots think they're the underdog! Hey, how about those Celtics? Are they the underdogs too? Here's what you've lost sight of, John, and I'm really happy that your father and your wife are sitting in the front row so they can hear it!
John Cena
That's the last time I'm gonna tell you, ease up.
What you've lost sight of is what you are, and what you are is what you hate. You're the 10-time WWE Champion! You're the man! Ladies and gentlemen, the Champ is here. You, like the Red Sox, like Boston, are no longer the underdog! You're a dynasty. You are what you hate. You have become the New York Yankees! [John immediately punches Punk, who scoots out of the ring, grabs the contract, and goes up the ramp. Points respectively to Vince and John] You're Steinbrenner, and you might as well be Jeter! Mr. 3000, I'm the underdog! [John's music plays for fourteen seconds] Turn it off! Turn the music off because I have something to say, and I'm positive that everybody here wants to hear it, and everybody sitting at home has their DVRs fired up because they wanna hear it! I'm glad you just punched me in the face, John. I'm glad it went down this way because it hit me like a bolt of lightning—exactly why I no longer wanna be here, why I wanna leave. It's because I'm tired of this. I'm tired of you. I'm just tired. So ladies and gentlemen of the WWE Universe, Vince, John, Sunday night, say goodbye to the WWE Title, say goodbye to John Cena, and say goodbye to CM Punk! [Rips up the contract] I'll go be the best in the world somewhere else.
John Cena
It's funny. I couldn't help but notice you said the word, "work." A little example, for one second. [Brings Daniel Bryan front and center, to the cheers and "YES!" chants of the Seattle crowd] Tell these people your name, please.
John
We'll get to know you a little bit more. Daniel, where are you from?
I'm from Aberdeen, Washington.
John
Was either your father or your mother ever a Superstar, Hall of Fame, WWE Superstar at all? Father or mother, either one.
No, my dad's a log scaler actually.
John
So since you've been here, you've have to...work for everything you've got.
John
[back to Randy] You hear that? The reason they cheer for him is because he works and he earns it! A guy like you has been given every single thing in the WWE!
I'm about to hit you in the face with some truth. Ever since you came to the WWE Training Center, you were untouchable. You were bulletproof. You couldn't be fired. Nobody could touch Randy Orton because they liked you. And then you get to the WWE, and what happens? You get sheltered by the best performer in the business. Nothing's changed, Randy. All do you is hide behind Triple H; all you do is hide behind Stephanie McMahon; and you got the balls to stand in this ring and say you're better that everybody here?! Say you're bigger than all of this?!
You have always blamed everybody else for your failures, you've pointed fingers, and you've made excuses. You've had behavior problems in the ring, you've had behavior problems outside the ring. And the sad thing is, the TLC match this Sunday is the biggest in WWE history. That's why everybody is here tonight. This changes the very course of the WWE. But you want these championships because you're selfish! Because you feel you deserve it! And maybe, just maybe, if you hold onto this, you can finally walk around with the rest of the Superstars and say, "Hey, guys, look. I'm finally what I was supposed to be ten years ago."
Every single time I have held either of these championships, my business card reads the same: "You want some? Come get some!"
And here's the real truth. Whether these guys in the ring like me or not, they respect me because they know it. Whether it's Triple H or Shawn Michaels in a WrestleMania match, whether it's Booker T. Hell, nobody wanted to give Dolph Ziggler a chance, and what did I do? I said, "Let's fight." Everybody said it was a bad idea to give CM Punk a championship match when he was gonna leave the WWE; all I saw was the best in the world. Hell, the only legitimate championship shot Daniel Bryan's ever had was against me, and he won! [Turns to Daniel] So I'll say it here in front of your hometown. If I win on Sunday, [shakes his hand] I look forward to the rematch. A fair rematch.
You see, that's what being a champion is all about—a certain level of respect. And last week, I wasn't gonna take you out. I just wanted to make a statement that when the chips are down, I can be just as brutal as you. So right now, I'm gonna make one more statement because I know exactly what this means. [Sticks out his hand] This Sunday will be physical and it will be brutal, and I will be at my very best. I just hope you are too, because after this Sunday, the last thing anyone is gonna wanna deal with is just another Randy Orton excuse. Good luck on Sunday, you're gonna need it.
[to Hulk Hogan and John Cena] I have always been fascinated with pride. It is my favorite sin. It has the power to blind even the strongest men, even those who claim to be immortal. Hey kids, take your vitamins and say your prayers! All praise be to the virtue of hustle, loyalty, and respect, as if they can do you any good.
You are both liars, and your foolish pride allows you to prey upon the weak and fill them up with this hope. But hope is dead, as will be your legacy, John. I can see it in your eyes. You don't get it. And how could you possibly get something that you can't comprehend?! But I'll lay it out for you, John, right now. If you look up at me, you will see a friend; if you look down at me, you will see an enemy; but if you look at me square in the eyes, you will see a god.
John Cena
Do you even listen to all that weird crap you're saying? You just said pride was the fall of man, and then you follow up by saying when I look at you, I should see a god. I look at you and I don't see a god. I see a homeless dude that spent too many years [singing] wastin' away again in Margaritaville, lookin' for his lost shaker of salt.
Oh, no, no, no, you didn't find any salt. You found two goons, a tiki torch, and a rocking chair from Cracker Barrel. And now you think you can waltz out here in a Hawaiian shirt and a fedora and be somebody? Well, I say prove it.
[Dean Ambrose watches See No Evil 2 and slowly eats popcorn when he gets startled by John Cena]
John Cena
What are you doing?
Doing some research for our match tonight. See No Evil 2 starring Kane; this guy is sick, twisted, sadistic.
John Cena
This is...this is what you do? This is your plan? This is your strategy, movie night?
See, me and you are kinda like a comic book movie. It's like Superman teaming up with Batman. You stand for truth, justice, and the American way, nice American square jaw on you. I like to beat up scumbags. I've been known to wear a cape. But really, we just don't mix.
John Cena
What are you even... we have a match tonight, and the three people in that match are gonna do whatever they can to take both of us out of commission before Hell in a Cell. How are we gonna handle it?
Relax. This might surprise you, but even though I am undefeated in contract-on-a-pole matches, handicapped street fights are my specialty, so here's how we're going to handle it. We're gonna throw punches at anything that moves, and if they insist on taking us down, we're gonna take as many of them down with us as we can. That's how we handle it.
John Cena
I like it. I like it. The whole Batman thing...does not fit you. You...are much more like the Joker.
[after John leaves] Why so serious?
John, I didn't expect to say this: maybe you're right. Maybe I was chosen. But you know who chose me? They chose me. [points at the crowd] Can you say the same, John Cena? Or was it one guy in an office who chose you who's not here anymore and we don't talk about it? [Crowd roars] Oh yeah, let's go ahead. Strip everything away from me, right? I don't know who I am? Who the hell knows who they are? I know this: I'm Cody Rhodes. I'm a wrestler like my father before me. And if anybody is a company creation, it's you, John Cena, and not me. Gosh, everyone's so terrified of you on the mic. I'm not, because I know you've got more dick in that promo, than you do in your jorts. You wanna make fun of me for appearing like I'm 16, taking public speaking lessons? Well, you're the one who hangs out with Zac Efron and wishes he was 16. And what a softball, thank you, John. What a softball you've thrown me saying you created all of this, you created me.
Here's what you created, pal. You created a lot of disenfranchised fans, who made it easy for me to pack up and go elsewhere and say: 'Hey, look at me.' Don't act like you cleaned up the room before you left and went to Hollywood, John. Don't act like you left WWE better than you found it. And while we're at it - while we're at it, there are two of us standing in this ring right now and what I'm about to ask you might punch a giant hole in all that logic you just threw up. And it's quite simple: Between you and I, which one of us sold out to The Rock? [Crowd chants 'You sold out'] John, John - John, you are still - you're still my hero, but you're also a piece of shit.
John Cena
Just like all these people, your brain is filled with feces and not facts. I have worked a hundred times harder than you and never once in all that time was I ever protected from an audience or a superstar, present company included, taking their best shot at me. As a matter of fact, everyone knows, every time I step on this canvas, it is a challenge to every arena or every superstar dumb enough to walk down that ramp to take their strongest swing, to see if they are worthy, to put me in the ground. No one - no one has been worthy. So I decided to just do it myself. That's why, Cody, I have never left. I have always been here. Because no matter how high the hill is to climb, no matter what garbage they give me, I find a way to make it great. You had to leave. You had to leave because you realized that your best can't wipe my ass. I make empires for billionaires, all you've ever done is steal money from their kids. See you at WrestleMania, champ.
John, John, no, no, no, no, no. Hey, I just wanna remind you, in all that time that I have been here and everything I've been through, never once has an audience, never once have they chanted at me: "You can't wrestle."
[Backstage, John Cena and the rest of the Raw locker room celebrate his Intercontinental Title win. Rey Mysterio shakes his hand]
RMRey Mysterio
Congrats. [referring to Dominik Mysterio] He really needed that ass-kicking.
John Cena
Ah, he's a good kid. I hope it was a good lesson.
Cena
Thanks, Rey.
[The rest of the Raw locker room continues clapping for Cena just as Cody Rhodes arrives]
Congratulations, Champ. John Cena's last night in Boston? Wouldn't have missed it.
Cena
[shakes Cody's hand] Class act, Champ. Thank you.
WWE Raw · 371 quotes
