In an interview with
Sports Illustrated, John Cena had high praise for WWE Champion Brock Lesnar, who he called the best in-ring performer of all time. Here are highlights:
On the Royal Rumble this year: “I’m proud to say I watched the Royal Rumble from my own home on the WWE Network and I thought the event, and especially the Rumble, was absolutely awesome, so if you watched from Houston or if you were in the audience it really didn’t seem like I was missed. I thought the event was extra special. It was great to be able to watch it as a fan and not endure any fear of missing out and just enjoy the event. And I can say with the utmost sincerity that I believe Brock Lesnar is best in-ring performer that I’ve seen and I know it’s an opinion, and if you want a cool quote, here it is: I think he’s the best in-ring performer of all time. I thought his performance at the Rumble was a clinic on how to establish yourself, how to establish those around you, establish the championship, establish the importance of one event. He did so in less than 30 minutes, and I certainly don’t have the skill set to do that, and it was awesome to be able to see a masterclass man put on a clinic on what to do and how to do it and I was really impressed with the Rumble.”
On if Brock Lesnar is the best ever: “I really do think so. I genuinely think he has a good understanding of who he is. I think he’s the best at when he needs to be dominant, he’s the best in situations of jeopardy. He makes people better. He still has a mystique about him that will draw eyeballs to watch him and when he does he never disappoints. I watching from home did not know the result of the Rumble and I thought Brock was gonna run the table and win. I knew the first 27 entrants would be boring, but I knew by 28 and 29 I’d be on the edge of my seat and asking the question, “What happens to the WrestleMania main event now that the No. 1 entrant ran the table and is the champion for the first time ever?” And I love it when a plan comes together, to quote a member of the A Team. You could see how uneasy the crowd was with Brock’s dominance and then over the course of time, how it became exciting and how it became riveting and then how it became like must-see and that’s who Brock Lesnar is. He believes so much in his presence, and he has such a definable presence you can’t ignore him and he never wastes anyone’s time and everything he does is special and everything he does meaningful and it’s not all selfish. He’s one of the most giving performers in the WWE and that is the mark of a true craftsman and a true professional. It was awesome to watch. My jaw dropped when I watched the Rumble.”
On if he will be at Wrestlemania: “Performing at WrestleMania this year would be a gift. I haven’t been intertwined in the machine of the WWE. I know those WrestleMania spots are few and far between. I’ve expressed that I’m off. But I’ve also expressed that I live in Tampa. I will for sure be at the event and I have great trust in the process and I have great faith in Vince McMahon not only as a boss, but as so much more than that. As a friend, as a mentor. If he were to tell me that he needs me, I would absolutely be active in whatever capacity, whether it would be like last year in New York rapping my way to the ring or the year before being a fan in the stands. There is no job too small. “
