Was John Cena in the military?

Last Modified Apr 9, 2025 11:47 GMT
Was John Cena in the military?
Cena at 10th Anniversary Of WWE Tribute To The Troops (Getty)

WWE has had major ties of strength with the military for an extensive period, some being Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, Bobby Lashley, and even John Cena, whose incorporation is the most amazing of all of them. The very first Recognition for the Soldiers occasion was held in 2003. There is one WWE superstar that resonates with the US military the most it is John Cena. From his popular salute motion to his hustle, loyalty, and Respect, Cena plans to display his ring persona along these lines as the US military. The leader of the Cenation started wrestling for WWE in 2000 and made his debut in 2002 as a rookie with 'ruthless aggression' and tested WWE's wrestling machine, Kurt Angle.

The 16-time world title holder is one of the most recognized figures in the game, who had a long journey to the top. He immediately became famous among fans, yet it took many years before his first-ever big-screen job. After a flop early run in the organization, Cena was very nearly getting released. He reversed the situation and turned into the organization's greatest star in history. His affection for the military reflects his personality from different superstars. His attitude and appearance in the ring made the fans believe Cena was in the US military before he turned into a professional wrestler.

Also Read: Who Has Beaten John Cena At WrestleMania

The truth of John Cena’s military career

John Cena was never in the US Military, according to ITR Wrestling. During an interview with the Club Shay Shay YouTube channel, Cena shared how he was about to join the US Forces before coming to pro wrestling.

"I love when the team wins, I wanna be in a pool of people that I am not the smartest person in the room, love the uniform, get to travel the world, don’t ever have to worry about the pay. Like, there are so many pluses to the military. And as a young man, those were the people I grew up idolising. So I was like, ‘Man! I will go join the marines.’ And the weekend I was going to go from Los Angeles to San Diego to go join, my buddy was like, ‘hey man, you know, we are training to be wrestlers down at Orange County. You wanna try it out before you go?” he said.

As per reports, John Cena played a Marine in a film in 2006, which influenced his WWE persona. He adopted military-themed gear and saluted during entrances, leading many fans to believe he had served in the armed forces. During an interview with WWE.com, Cena shared:

“Every night when I do that salute, it’s also a sign of respect to the men and women that don the uniform of the Armed Forces. When it came my time to slowly redefine who I was from wrestler to hip hop thug, to the next step in my career, I basically took the ideologies of discipline from the Armed Forces. I took honor, code, and country and came up with hustle, loyalty, and respect. I think exactly like they do.”

Despite his lack of military background, John Cena has consistently demonstrated public support for the armed forces. During his time holding the United States Championship, he frequently portrayed patriotic themes and took part in WWE's Tribute to the Troops. His character was portrayed as a patriotic figure, and the American flag was frequently used in the storylines. Cena has appeared in many military films outside of WWE, including The Marine and The Wall. His repeated association with military imagery has reinforced the misconception that he served.

John Cena’s appearance at Tribute To The Troops

John Cena became a central figure in WWE’s Tribute to the Troops event, representing the company in a patriotic role. He was part of the inaugural event in 2003 but was absent in 2004. From 2005 through 2014, he maintained a consistent presence, appearing in the annual event for ten consecutive years.

FAQs on Was John Cena in the military?

A. John Cena never served in the army, as per ITR wrestling. 

A. Randy Orton, Montez Ford, Kevin Nash, etc. are the WWE superstars who served in the US Army, as per WWE.com.

A. John Cena was a weightlifter and bodybuilder before coming to the WWE, as per Britannica. 

A. John Cena salutes out of respect, military values, and the sacrifices the US Army made, as per WWE.com. 

A. Lacey Evans served in the US Marine Corps, as per WWE.com.  

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