John Cena congratulates OVW on milestone TV episode
John Cena, one of the most famous alums in Ohio Valley Wrestling history, is congratulating the promotion on reaching a big milestone.
Coming up in a class that also included Batista, Randy Orton, and Shelton Benjamin, Cena entered the WWE system through OVW in the early 2000s when it was still a WWE developmental territory. The Louisville-based promotion still exists today and just had its 1400th TV episode take place on Thursday (June 11).
OVW celebrated the 1400 milestone by posting congratulatory social media videos from people like Shawn Spears, Billy Gunn, Tommy Dreamer, Serena Deeb, and Maven . The biggest star to send in a video was Cena, who praised OVW for its consistency and perseverance.
John Cena’s message to OVW —
“Greetings Ohio Valley Wrestling fans, professionals, and those behind the scenes. I’m John Cena, and, yes, my performance time in a wrestling ring is up, but I wouldn’t have an end to such a beautiful journey if I didn’t have a start,” he said. “Ohio Valley Wrestling celebrates its 1400th consecutive episode. That is almost three decades of consistent programming. That is a testament to those behind the scenes, a testament to all those who have walked through the hallowed halls, including a wonderful class that I was part of. Most importantly, the audience, you the fans of OVW, you keep it alive and breathing. And for that, I’m grateful. Because without you, this might be a whole different path. I value hard work. I value trust, respect, and certainly persistence. And at 1400 episodes, Ohio Valley Wrestling has them all.”
OVW, now led by Al Snow, was featured in the 2023 Netflix docuseries “Wrestlers.” Its 1400th episode streamed live on YouTube and is available to watch below:
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.