John Cena has always had a good amount of influence backstage in the WWE. Many people often believe he’s used his pull for good, or if you believe stories from former stars like Tyler Reks or Alex Riley, for burying others. He’s often listened to, but there’s one time it seems WWE didn’t listen to him.
Arn Anderson recalled a moment with Cena on his ARN Show podcast, as he was one of Cena’s main producers for years. He spoke on how there was a time WWE was looking for new talent and they had been heavily considering bringing in stars from the then-TNA Wrestling, now Impact. Three names Arn pitched to Cena happened to be Robert Roode, James Storm, and AJ Styles. Cena’s response shocked Arn.
“I sat John (Cena) down. I don’t remember the year, but I could feel that things were getting a little stale. WWE needed an influx of not just bodies and people coming from NXT, no knock on that, but seasoned veterans. People that were considered stars. I sat John down and said, ‘You know John, there’s some guys with the other company and that we can steel and blend in to work with you.’ My conversation was that it was Bobby Roode, Cowboy (James Storm), and AJ Styles. I said, ‘These guys can go. I’m talking about talk shelf performers and they will freshen everything up.’”
“He looked me right in the eye and at this time John had 100% stroke, power, it was his call on everything that had to do with him. He said, ‘Why would we want those guys? We make our own stars.’ So yes, he was on my radar. AJ Styles was one of those rare talents that only come along every 20 years or so that can do it all. I knew that then. I know that now. It will be the same thing that, barring injury, a year from now. So yes, definitely on my radar. I was pushing for the three of those guys.”
All three have been on WWE’s radar and two eventually made their way to the company. Styles and Roode are entrenched in the main roster and Storm has made an appearance for NXT and almost signed with the WWE before the COVID-19 pandemic last year. However, while Roode never quite became the big star on the main roster as Arn may have viewed him as, Styles has definitely managed success in the WWE.
h/t to Wrestling News for the quote
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