– Above is Michael Cole’s latest sitdown interview, featuring John Cena this week. Below are highlights:
* Cole asks if Cena facing Rusev at WrestleMania 31 is just about Cena having another WrestleMania match. Cena says not at all, adding that he’s learned a valuable lesson. He mentioned how Stephanie McMahon served him a piece of “humble pie” when she said on RAW that WWE would be fine without John Cena. Cena says it’s not about an opportunity to perform at WrestleMania but he believes this opportunity is the most important of his WWE career because normally winning at WrestleMania is about you, the performer, but this year it’s all about bringing the United States Title back home. Cena praised Rusev as an athlete but Cena’s tired of hearing him talk bad about America while representing America with the title on. Cena says he’d had enough and he’s not alone. Cena says everyone is fed up with Rusev representing America.
* Cole brought up how many Superstars have said the same thing about Rusev in the last year but they couldn’t stop him, Cena included. Cena says all he can do is hope for opportunity. He’s not fighting for just him, he’s fighting for those before him who said Rusev has to be stop. He’s fighting for the ones watching that feel the same way. Cena knows what’s at stake at WrestleMania. He knows it will be a battle and he knows what it’s like to be in The Accolade. Cena said he made a mistake last time but he’s going to be well prepared at WrestleMania.
* Cole mentioned how Cena has acknowledged WWE will go on without him. Cole asks if Cena has thought about WrestleMania 31 being “it” for him. Cena says those thoughts have crossed his mind. He says there’s a point where people lose faith but every time when it appears he’s down, he comes back fighting hard. Cena talked about he didn’t get the job done against Brock Lesnar and Rusev. He said at WrestleMania if he doesn’t get the job done, he will have to face the consequences. Cena says he’s made a pact with himself – when he can’t keep up with the Superstars in the ring, he would rather gracefully bow out instead of hanging around too long and have his hard work go down the drain.
* Cole asks what John Cena will we see at WrestleMania on Sunday. Cena says he’s heard critics say they don’t like his character but they respect the man. Cena says at WrestleMania, we’re going to see a man fight for what he believes in. Cena says people respect him because he wears his heart on his sleeve, says what he believes in and says what he’s sick of. Cena says he believes in this country and loves this country. Cena says he’s going to WrestleMania to “stop all this” and take back the US Title so the USA can have a representative they can be proud of. Cena wants to visit the cities around the US so people can see the US Champion they can be proud of. Cena wants to be the champion to go around the world and prove that America is elite because we bust our ass to be elite. Cena says WrestleMania isn’t about him, it’s about shutting up Rusev and bringing the title back where it belongs.
