Maria Kanellis Recalls How John Cena Reacted To Her Not Drinking At Parties

Maria Kanellis' first WWE run lasted from 2005 until her release in 2010, a time when John Cena was on top of the world. The two Superstars even had the opportunity to team up in mixed tag team action against Edge and Lita in 2006, defeating the now Hall of Famers. Cena did not just have Kanellis' back in the ring, however, as the former 24/7 Champion recalled how he reacted to her not drinking at parties when she had to be up early the next day.

"He's amazing," Kannelis said on "Interviews With James." "I always would go out with everybody, but I really didn't like drinking that much when we were going to have early mornings ... I would go out, I would hold the drink, I just didn't really drink it ... All night, I had been pouring my drinks out into a plant and apparently John had seen me pouring my drink out in the plant and he's like, 'I see what you're doing.' He's like, 'But, I respect that.' He's like, 'Thanks for coming out, kid,' and that was it and he never brought it up again ... I always had a great relationship with him in the sense that I always felt that I could ask him questions about the industry."

Kanellis returned to WWE in 2017 as a part of the "Smackdown" brand alongside her husband, Mike Bennett, who went by Mike Kanellis in WWE. Cena was on this brand as well at the time, but he never stepped into the ring with Mike during that period.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Interviews With James" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.