John Cena’s Legendary Guidance Shaped Former WWE Rival’s Career
Carlito Reflects on Cena’s Advice, As the Wrestling Icon Prepares to Exit the Ring
John Cena, a wrestling legend respected for his file-breaking sixteen WWE World Championship reigns, isn’t just a powerhouse within the ring however a guiding force behind the scenes. One of the many wrestlers who benefited from Cena’s mentorship is none apart from Carlito, a former WWE United States Champion who made a memorable debut by way of defeating Cena himself.
Carlito, whose actual call is Carlos Colón Jr., burst onto the WWE scene on October 7, 2004, in a beautiful debut. He clinched america Championship by means of defeating Cena on his very first night on SmackDown. Though the victory turned into controversial—Carlito struck Cena with his very own chain—it become still a big milestone, propelling Carlito into the spotlight. While Cena rocketed to WWE’s important event popularity, Carlito carved out his very own stunning career each in WWE and on the impartial circuit, though he in no way reached the identical World Championship heights as Cena.
Despite their competition in the ring, Cena’s effect on Carlito’s career went a long way past their fits. In a recent WWE Retrospective video on YouTube, Carlito shared a little-acknowledged story about how Cena influenced a key component of his in-ring persona: his completing move, the Backstabber. The Backstabber, a flow wherein Carlito drives his knees into an opponent’s again, became a proposal made by using Cena himself.
“I took a liking to the Backstabber,” Carlito recalled. “I remember Cena was one of the first ones to point it out to me. He goes, ‘Man, that looks like a great move, you should use it as a finisher.’ At first, I was like, ‘Eh, maybe.’ But he kept encouraging me to give it a shot, so I did.”
That bit of advice proved to be a turning point. The Backstabber went on to become one of Carlito’s signature moves, setting him apart from his peers. As Carlito puts it, “Nobody else does a move like that, and then it just took off from there.”
John Cena: A Mentor to WWE’s Future Stars
As John Cena nears the final bankruptcy of his storied profession, he continues to present again to WWE in a way that cements his legacy past the hoop. Cena has announced that 2025 will mark his retirement from active competition, however he remains committed to nurturing the following era of WWE superstars.
One of the rising stars taking advantage of Cena’s knowledge is NXT Champion Trick Williams, who many see as a capacity destiny international champion on the main roster. Trick recently shared how Cena’s mentorship has been useful in shaping his understanding of the enterprise.
“We’ve had multiple talks,” Trick said. “But the most important thing I’ve learned from him is being able to listen and perform at the same time. He knows what every sound from the crowd means, how to react, how to keep them engaged. That’s probably the most important lesson I’ve ever received.”
Cena’s capability to connect with audiences has been a cornerstone of his achievement, and passing down that understanding guarantees that his affect will maintain long after he hangs up his boots. Though Cena’s next WWE appearance is but to be formally showed, lovers can expect to peer him at WWE Raw on January sixth for a Netflix highest quality occasion.
