WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman recently appeared on the No-Contest Wrestling Podcast during Creator Fest, where he discussed a variety of topics. Notably, he confirmed WWE legend John Cena’s story about the original plan for SummerSlam 2021.
According to Heyman, the initial plan was for Cena to defeat Roman Reigns and win his 17th world title. He also expressed high regard for Cena, emphasizing that this was indeed the strategy before it was ultimately changed.
Heyman said, “The fact that it comes out of John Cena’s mouth should be accepted as if it were biblical. That man, number one, has no reason to lie. No reason to boast, no reason to brag. Yes, that was the plan. And yes, it changed on that day. And there was no bigger proponent of it changing than John Cena. That man rolls with the punches better than anyone I have ever met, ever in this industry. ‘Hey, this is what you’re doing tonight, John. And you’re going to go 75 minutes and you’re going to pin nine different people, and tap out another nine and then we are going to proclaim you the greatest of all time.’ ‘Great. Okay, I’m going to do that assignment better than anybody else possibly can do it. Let me put my mind to it.’ And an hour before the match, ‘John, things have changed. 30 seconds, you’re getting squashed. Okay, it’s going to be the best squash match you’ve ever seen. Watch me do it. I’m gonna make that guy who squashes me.’ Whatever the assignment, John Cena is your man. The most professional amongst the most intelligent, if not the most intelligent, but the person that understands. ‘If you tell me the story, I will convey it to the masses better than anybody I’ve ever met.’”
On Cena calling him a mentor:
“I watched the podcast with John Cena. For him to call me a mentor is very flattering to me, but this is when the teacher learns more from the student than the student does from the teacher. I learn every time I have a conversation with John Cena. And I aspire to be a man worthy of the respect that I have for John Cena.”
You can check out the complete podcast in the video below.
(H/T to 411Mania.com for transcribing the above quotes)
