Vince McMahon's initial reaction when WWE signed 'next WrestleMania main-eventer'

Jim Ross has revealed that Vince McMahon looked at him “like he was delirious” when he suggested that a 23-year-old John Cena could headline WrestleMania within five years.

Speaking on his Grilling JR podcast, Ross recalled that he met with Cena in 2000 to agree terms with the up-and-coming Superstar on a WWE contract.

The former WWE commentator, who also worked as the Senior Vice President of Talent Relations at the time, said he went straight to McMahon’s office after a red-eye flight because he was so keen to tell his boss about Cena’s potential.

However, the WWE Chairman was “not sold” on the future 16-time World Champion at first, despite Ross tipping him to be one of the company’s next top stars.

“I told him, ‘I’ve agreed to terms with a WrestleMania main-eventer in five years.’ He looked at me like I was delirious. He said something kind of benign and he said, ‘Now go home, take a shower and come back to work.’”

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John Cena in WrestleMania main events

John Cena’s first WrestleMania main event came in 2006 when he defeated Triple H to retain the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 22.

Since then, he has headlined WWE’s biggest show of the year on another four occasions, including in back-to-back years against The Rock at WrestleMania 28 and WrestleMania 29.

His other WrestleMania main events took place at WrestleMania 23 (versus Shawn Michaels) and WrestleMania 27 (versus The Miz).