Flashback: With John Cena's retirement from wrestling, our then-host Maaika Westen had an opportunity to interview him in 2009. John Cena (2009) The legendary wrestler John Cena performed his last wrestling moves for WWE in December 2025. In this 2009 interview, hosted by Maaika Westen, Cena discussed his journey from a small town in Massachusetts to becoming a world wrestling champion and a Hollywood star. He shared insights into his wrestling career, his role in the movie '12 Rounds,' and his aspirations in both wrestling and acting. Mini-Biography: Born April 23, 1977 in West Newbury, Massachusetts, John Cena is a well-known wrestler, actor, and former hip-hop artist who has major success in both the wrestling arena and Hollywood. He is most recognized for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where he achieved a record-breaking 17-time World Champion status, a five-time United States Champion title, and is acknowledged as a Grand Slam Champion. In his later years, he shifted to a part-time schedule to concentrate on his acting career. Cena performed his last retirement match on December 13, 2025 on "WWE's Saturday Night's Main Event." Outside of Wrestling, Cena has been in many high-profile projects including "Trainwreck," "Blockers," the "Fast & Furious" series, the DC Extended Universe film "The Suicide Squad," the spin-off TV series "Peacemaker," and a cameo in "Barbie." His earlier film roles include "The Marine" and "12 Rounds." His 2005 rap album, "You Can't See Me," was a commercial hit, achieving platinum certification and reaching the Billboard 200 chart. He has also made various television appearances, including hosting the reality series "American Grit" and co-hosting "Wipeout," along with guest spots on shows like "Parks and Recreation," "The Bear," and "MADtv." In addition to his achievements in the ring and media projects, he holds the Guinness World Record for granting the highest number of wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, having fulfilled over 650 wishes. Interview Credits: Recorded: February 9, 2009 Host / Producer: Maaika Westen Editor: Richard R. Lee Special Thanks To: 20th Century Fox, WWE Vimeo Backup of Interview https://vimeo.com/1146275715?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
