Former WWE Writer Freddie Prinze Jr. Details History With John Cena

Former WWE writer Freddie Prinze Jr. has discussed his complex relationship with John Cena, on the back of Cena's retirement.

Prinze Jr., on "Wrestling with Freddie," said that Cena took on the role of being the top guy during the PG era of WWE, which was a role not many others wanted to do.

"It could have been anybody, but nobody else wanted to be a PG Champion. John Cena took that on his shoulders and he made it work and held the company on his shoulder for years — on one shoulder, he didn't even need both," he said. "He was the WWE — for his era and who his target was, than any other major champion they've had at the top, top, top level."

He joked that the only mistake that Cena made in WWE is that he wore jorts, and stated that he should've been a GI Joe character. Prinze Jr. said that Cena wasn't a fan of his when he first joined WWE, with Cena ignoring him the first time they met.

"When I got there, he did not want me there. At all. And I remember the first time I got there, I was super polite, put my hand out to shake his hand, and he walked right past and didn't even acknowledge me. I think somebody said something, 'cause a few minutes later he came up to me and he goes, 'Hey, I'm John,' and he put his hand out and I shook his hand, and I go, 'Hey, I'm Freddie, nice to meet you,' and he goes, 'I guess they let anybody work here,' words to that effect."

Freddie Prinze Jr. also remembered a backstage moment with John Cena, where the former WWE Champion interrupted a promo class that Prinze was teaching in WWE. Cena reportedly entered the class unannounced and halted it during a scene between Bray Wyatt and Curtis Axel.

"All of a sudden the door swings up, no knock, nothing, and Cena walks in, grabs a folding chair and puts it in between Bray and just sits there and staring straight at me. Just [saying] 'What? What are you going to do about this?'" recalled Prinze Jr. "He doesn't look pissed, he has a smirk on his face. I'm not going to fight him, a 280-pound dude. I'm not going to fight John Cena. So I go, 'Hey, man, you want to talk with me outside real quick?' And we go outside, and I go, 'What the hell is that? What are you doing?' And he goes, 'Maybe I'm a Neanderthal but you can either do this or you can't.' This part's not a quote, [he says] 'So I don't know what the hell you're doing here or the F you're doing here.'"

He told Cena that he didn't need help with his promos, but the other younger wrestlers did, which was what he was doing in acting class. Prinze told Cena that he was helping those that the 16-time world champion couldn't help with their promos. He feels that Cena was only trying to give him a "hard time," and wasn't being mean to him.

Freddie Prinze Jr. also revealed a conversation he had with John Cena, where the WWE legend praised him for a promo that he had written for another WWE star.

Prinze Jr. recalled being in the Gorilla Position backstage during a WWE star's promo, where Cena was waiting as well. Cena praised and congratulated the former WWE writer for the promo and for how the star navigated through the "What" chants that were directed his way.

"About six months go and I had a wrestler cutting a promo in the ring — I don't know who it was, this is a long time, guys — they're just killing it and they beat the 'What' chant," remembered Prinze Jr. "Cena goes, 'You did a very good job.' I had a choice in this moment to choose violence ... not violence but to be a dick, or to be cool, and I just went, 'Thanks, man, whatever.' Just kinda gave him the same sort of energy that he gave me. But I didn't want to be super appreciative that he was finally being cool, because I don't think he deserved that."

The Hollywood director stated that he had told Vince McMahon that Cena would one day become an actor, which McMahon had then dismissed, a prediction that turned out to be true. Prinze Jr. believes that Cena perhaps disliked him because he didn't want outsiders to come into the business, which is a sentiment that he understands.