Sgt. Slaughter Worked as WWE Producer When John Cena Became Top Babyface Star
Sgt. Slaughter, a WWE Hall of Famer, worked as a WWE producer during the time John Cena rose to become the company’s top babyface star in the mid-2000s. In an exclusive interview, Slaughter discussed how the 17-time World Champion’s journey to the main-event picture began.
In the late 1990s, The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin emerged as WWE’s marquee attractions, defining the peak of the Attitude Era. By 2003, The Rock had drastically reduced his in-ring schedule to pursue a Hollywood career, while Austin retired due to knee and neck injuries.
Slaughter told Sportskeeda Wrestling Senior Editor Bill Apter that former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon had identified Cena as the company’s next big star. “John Cena was all by himself at that point because we had lost Stone Cold, Rock was off doing movies, and we really didn’t have a star,” Slaughter explained. “I guess that’s where Vince saw the future. He said, ‘These guys are all leaving. I need to create a new hero.’ So, it took a while. The only way you become the best hero is to be the best villain. That’s how you do it.”
How Sgt. Slaughter Viewed John Cena in the Early 2000s
John Cena made a memorable debut in 2002 when he went up against Kurt Angle on SmackDown. Three years later, at WrestleMania 21, Cena defeated John Bradshaw Layfield (JBL) to capture his first WWE Championship, officially launching him as a main-event player.
During this time, Sgt. Slaughter’s opinion of Cena evolved as he came to appreciate his strong work ethic. “When I first started helping John, and we all started helping John, I always called him the workhorse. I said, ‘He’s a workhorse, he’s a workhorse,’ and then pretty soon I started saying, ‘He’s a stallion, he’s a stallion,’ because he fought through,” Slaughter shared. “He got comfortable in the ring, and he learned the psychology of the audience, of his fans, of all the fans, the universe.”
Slaughter also revealed that he taught Cena some key lessons earlier in his career that helped shape his in-ring psychology and character development.
—
*Please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling and embed the interview video when using quotes or excerpts from this article.*
—
**About the Author**
Danny Hart has been reporting on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda since 2017. Growing up as a huge fan of both football/soccer and wrestling, he pursued a career in sports journalism. Before joining Sportskeeda, Hart worked as a football writer for Goal.com from 2009 to 2016. He prioritizes original, fact-based, and accurate content, thoroughly proofreading his work and relying on credible sources.
Hart’s favorite pro wrestler is The Undertaker, admiring the WWE Hall of Famer’s ability to reinvent his character and maintain relevance over decades. If granted control of WWE’s creative department, Hart would bring back The Undertaker for a farewell match against AJ Styles in a stadium filled with fans, with many of The Undertaker’s greatest rivals seated at ringside for the spectacle.
Outside of wrestling and sports coverage, Hart enjoys long-distance running, playing video games, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/news-two-major-wwe-exits-led-john-cena-s-big-break-sgt-slaughter-says-exclusive