In contrast, and seemingly a surprise to Cena, his dad couldn’t contain himself, beaming with excitement over his son’s announcement.

“I could have told him [about] any other position and he’d have been like, ‘Yeah, whatever,” explained Cena. “‘Dad, I just got a job with the WWE.’ ‘Oh, my son! This is unreal! You’re gonna do great! I can’t believe it!'”

Cena, whose latest film “Fast X” topped the box office in May, last appeared for WWE at Money in the Bank earlier this month, hyping up the possibility of a future Wrestlemania in London, England, and taking out Grayson Waller for good measure.

Family dynamics can be complicated and bridges to emotional gaps are hard to find. For John Cena, his success in professional wrestling ultimately revealed a side of his father he’d not seen with consistency previously, but one that has endured since.

“Still to this day, he’s extremely proud.”