Kurt Angle reflects on John Cena’s WWE SmackDown debut
Kurt Angle has shared a statement on John Cena’s retirement.
On the June 27, 2002 edition of WWE SmackDown, Cena made his WWE debut by answering Angle’s open challenge. When Angle asked him what quality he possessed that made him think he could wrestle Angle, Cena responded, “Ruthless Aggression,” before slapping Angle in the face to start the match.
On Saturday, Angle posted to Instagram reflecting on Cena’s debut, writing:
“Who in the hell are you?
I’m John Cena.
From his unforgettable moments in the ring to his inspiring presence outside of it, John Cena has truly left an indelible mark on the world of sports entertainment.
I am proud to have been part of his journey, and what a ride it has been for him. His dedication, resilience, and passion have inspired countless fans and peers alike.
As he embarks on his well-deserved retirement, I wish him all the best in the next chapter of his life. Enjoy your last ride, John….a legend forever.
Welcome to retirement, my friend.”
Angle defeated Cena in less than six minutes that night. The two would go on to wrestle another seven singles matches against each other on WWE programming. Angle holds a 5–3 edge in their all-time singles series and also won their final match, a First Blood bout on the January 2, 2006 edition of Raw.
The segment involving Angle and Cena’s future was addressed by Dave Meltzer in the July 1, 2002 edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Meltzer wrote:
“Of all the developmental guys, Cena is the one with the most potential because he’s such a strong interview. He’s improved a lot of late and is much closer to being ready than he was six weeks ago, but they seem now to be rushing to get everyone in at the same time and they are appearing on TV with no build-up.”
Angle’s Instagram post about the segment with Cena is below:
The segment from the June 27, 2002 edition of WWE SmackDown is available below:
Ian Carey is a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, whose work has been featured in NOW Magazine, The Huffington Post, and more. A lifelong wrestling aficionado born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he has covered the industry for a decade and a half. He joined the f4wonline.com team in 2019.