What did John Cena call Taiwan?
John Cena has been a very polarizing figure throughout his career in the wrestling industry. While some people definitely admire his babyface character, others have expressed their issues with certain aspects of his persona. Although Cena may divide opinion among fans, he has always been a respected individual backstage.
In May 2021, The Cenation Leader unintentionally made a controversial comment about Taiwan. He was on the receiving end of criticism from several Chinese nationalists, which compelled him to apologize for his actions later on.
What did John Cena call Taiwan?
In an interview with Taiwanese broadcaster TVBS, The Franchise Player called Taiwan the first "country" to be able to watch his upcoming movie, Fast and Furious 9.
John Cena's statement caused an uproar among China's nationalist leaders. The act of calling Taiwan a country didn't sit well with many Chinese politicians, as they still consider the Southeast Asian country a part of their homeland.
John Cena to China after calling Taiwan a country: I love and respect China and Chinese people. I’m very, very sorry about my mistake. I apologise, I apologise, I’m very sorry.
He's promoting Fast and Furious 9
https://t.co/y1NpAkGFVj
Following his controversial comments, Cena posted an apology video on the Chinese social media network Weibo. In his message, The Cenation Leader showed his gratitude toward the people of China and expressed regret about the "mistake" he made.
Here's what he said:
“I made one mistake. I have to say something very, very, very important now. I love and respect China and Chinese people. I’m very, very sorry about my mistake. I apologize, I apologize, I’m very sorry. You must understand that I really love, really respect China and the Chinese people. My apologies. See you,”
While Cena didn't directly mention Taiwan, people knew exactly what he was referencing during his apology. Several U.S. leaders and influential figures slammed the 16-time world champion for apologizing for his remarks and his comments weren't appreciated by the WWE either.
John Cena will appear on RAW on June 27th
MONDAY, JUNE 27
@JohnCena returns on #WWERaw!
#CenaMonth https://t.co/krDTLaQcEs
WWE has termed the ongoing month of June as "John Cena month" in honor of The Franchise Player. This is because on June 27th, Cena will be celebrating 20 years in the WWE.
To make the occasion even more memorable, The Cenation Leader will appear live on WWE RAW. It will be the first time since last year's SummerSlam that fans will see the 16-time world champion back on WWE programming.
While the WWE Universe is excited to witness this grand celebration, some individuals may look to ruin the party. WWE United States Champion Theory has repeatedly taken shots at Cena over the past few weeks. He has tried to capture the attention of the Hollywood star by calling himself the greatest United States Champion of all time.
With WWE reportedly planning a SummerSlam match between Theory and Cena, we might see the 24-year-old confront the legend during his celebratory segment.