WRESTLING SUPERSTARS

WRESTLING SUPERSTARS WRESTLING SUPERSTARS Wrestling superstars perform high-flying attacks, suplex their opponents to the mat, and win championships with their signature moves. The Wrestling Superstars series looks at some fearsome wrestlers, their journeys to superstardom, and their in-ring personalities and skills.

www.kscopebooks.com JOHN CENA Gagne

ISBN: 978-1-64519-087-5 Learn about John Cena’s Big Matches, Signature Moves, and www.kscopebooks.com Championships! 9 7 8 1 6 4 5 1 9 0 8 7 5

KAL_WRES_COV.indd 2 5/30/19 6:02 PM www.kscopebooks.com The Quest for Discovery Never Ends

This edition first published in 2020 by Kaleidoscope Publishing, Inc.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher.

For information regarding permission, write to Kaleidoscope Publishing, Inc. 6012 Blue Circle Drive Minnetonka, MN 55343

Library of Congress Control Number 2019940198

ISBN 978-1-64519-087-5 (library bound) 978-1-64494-225-3 (paperback) 978-1-64519-189-6 (ebook)

Text copyright © 2020 by Kaleidoscope Publishing, Inc. All-Star Sports, Bigfoot Books, and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Kaleidoscope Publishing, Inc.

Printed in the United States of America.

FIND ME IF YOU CAN!

Bigfoot lurks within one of the images in this book. It’s up to you to find him!

KAL_WRES_CENA_FPGS.indd 2 6/18/19 1:42 PM TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1: Time for an Attitude Adjustment...... 4 Chapter 2: Path to WWE...... 10 Chapter 3: Mad Skills...... 16 Chapter 4: Fifteen Years and Counting...... 22

Beyond the Book...... 28 Research Ninja...... 29 Further Resources...... 30 Glossary...... 31 Index...... 32 Photo Credits...... 32 About the Author...... 32

KAL_WRES_CENA_FPGS.indd 3 6/18/19 1:42 PM CHAPTER 1

Time for an Attitude Adjustment It was February 2013. John Cena went up against CM Punk. The crowd was split between the two wrestlers. These rivals had faced off many times before. They had a long history. That might have made the match boring. But they surprised everyone. Fans still remember this match. They think it was one of the best in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) history.

The stakes that day were high. The winner would face the Rock at WrestleMania. He would have a chance at the WWE Championship. The bell rang. Cena and Punk circled each other. Then they finally clashed. They fought hard. It seemed like neither would win. Cena threw Punk to the mat. He pinned him. But Punk escaped. Fans were on the edge of their seats.

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KAL_WRES_CENA_FPGS.indd 4 6/18/19 1:42 PM If John Cena defeated CM Punk, he would have the chance to add another title belt to his collection.

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KAL_WRES_CENA_FPGS.indd 5 6/18/19 1:42 PM CM Punk was one of John Cena’s biggest rivals.

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KAL_WRES_CENA_FPGS.indd 6 6/18/19 1:42 PM Punk turned the tables. He hit Cena with a piledriver. They both fell to the canvas. The crowd gasped. Punk pinned Cena. But Cena was only down for a count of two. Punk tried an elbow drop. He climbed the ropes. He jumped at Cena with his elbow out. Cena rolled out of the way. Punk landed on the mat. Both wrestlers got to their feet. Cena did a hurricanrana. He jumped into the air. He hooked his legs around Punk’s neck. He flipped Punk onto the canvas. FUN FACT John Cena is known for his mottos, “Never Give Up” and “Hustle, Loyalty, Respect.”

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KAL_WRES_CENA_FPGS.indd 7 6/18/19 1:43 PM Cena wanted to finish Punk off. He used his Attitude Adjustment. This was one of his signature moves. He grabbed Punk by his legs. He lifted him onto his shoulders. Then he flipped Punk to the side. He slammed him to the mat. Cena pinned him for good.

The crowd cheered. Even Cena looked a bit shocked. He won! He gained fans. He would go on to face the Rock at WrestleMania.

Cena beat the Rock at WrestleMania 29.

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KAL_WRES_CENA_FPGS.indd 8 7/15/19 9:03 AM THE ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT

Legs flipped overhead

Opponent lifted onto shoulders facedown

Opponent slammed to mat

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Path to WWE John grew up watching wrestling on TV. He watched it with his dad each week. People asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. He told them he wanted to be a world champion. He even had a paper championship belt. John’s favorite wrestler was Hulk Hogan. Hogan worked hard in the ring. He always did his best. Hogan never gave up. John admired him. He wanted to be just like his idol.

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KAL_WRES_CENA_FPGS.indd 10 6/18/19 1:44 PM Index

Attitude Adjustment, Make-A-Wish Sheamus, 20 8–9, 16 Foundation, 27 Stepover Toehold Facelock (STF), CM Punk, 4, 7–8, Ohio Valley 19 18–19 Wrestling (OVW), 14, 24 Ultimate Pro freestyling, 22 Wrestling piledriver, 7 (UPW), 14, 24 Hogan, Hulk, 10 pinned, 4, 7–8, 19 hurricanrana, 7 weight lifting, 13–14 rivals, 4 WrestleMania, 4, 8, Jericho, Chris, 16 Rock, the, 4, 8 25 Judgment Day, 25 Wyatt, Bray, 20

PHOTO CREDITS The images in this book are reproduced through the courtesy of: Matt Roberts/Zuma Press/ Icon Sportswire, front cover (John Cena), pp. 6–7, 9; Valeriy Lebedev/Shutterstock Images, front cover (background); Rick Scuteri/AP Images, pp. 3, 4, 16, 25; Don Feria/WWE/AP Images, pp. 4–5, 7, 18–19, 24; Sam Aronov/Shutterstock Images, p. 8; Africa Studio/Shutterstock Images, p. 10; carrie-nelson/Shutterstock Images, pp. 10–11; WeStudio/Shutterstock Images, pp. 12–13; Mtsaride/Shutterstock Images, p. 13; Brandon Wade/WWE/AP Images, pp. 14–15, 30; Mavrixonline.com/Newscom, p. 17; John Palmer/MediaPunch/IPX/AP Images, p. 21; Phelan M. Ebenhack/WWE/AP Images, pp. 22–23; Red Line Editorial, p. 24 (timeline); Tinseltown/ Shutterstock Images, pp. 26–27; John Carucci/AP Images, p. 27.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tammy Gagne has written dozens of books for both adults and children. Her recent titles include Quarterbacks in the NFL’s Greatest Players series and Mustang Shelby GT350 in the Ultimate Supercars series. She lives in northern New England with her husband, son, and a menagerie of pets.

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KAL_WRES_CENA_FPGS.indd 32 6/18/19 1:46 PM Glossary

canvas: The canvas is the mat or the floor of a wrestling ring. Cena flipped his opponent onto the canvas.

charisma: Someone with charisma is very charming and likable, and people are drawn to them. Cena’s charisma has earned him many fans.

freestyling: Freestyling is making up a rap in the moment. Cena entertained the crowd with his freestyling before the wrestling match.

hurricanrana: A hurricanrana is a move in which a wrestler hooks his or her legs around an opponent’s shoulders and pulls the opponent down. Cena sent CM Punk to the mat with a hurricanrana.

piledriver: In a piledriver, a wrestler forces an opponent’s head to the mat. Cena lifted his opponent to perform a piledriver on him.

rivals: People who compete against each other are rivals. CM Punk is one of Cena’s biggest rivals.

signature: Something is signature if it sets a person apart from the crowd. One of Cena’s signature moves is the Attitude Adjustment.

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