WWE HOFer Booker T Thinks John Cena Saw Star Potential In Former Trainee

In his final WWE premium live event match, John Cena defended the WWE Intercontinental Championship against Dominik Mysterio at WWE Survivor Series. Amidst the action, though, Cena had several encounters with other Judgment Day members as well.

On the "Hall of Fame" podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Booker T specifically highlighted Cena's interaction with Roxanne Perez, which resulted in Cena taking a Pop Rox, Perez's finishing move. "It's a memory, man," Booker said. "That's a moment for Roxanne, more importantly. But it shows you where John Cena's head is. He sees the talent in Roxanne Perez. To be able to shine her, just to give her a little bit of shine, it was something that small, but in the big picture, in the grand scheme of things, it was huge. It was so huge. So, for me, it just let me know where his head is and what he's thinking about on his way out.

"I really don't think John is on his way out," he continued. "I just think this is the exit path of his wrestling career, man. But this dude has so much more to give to this business. He really does."

In addition to Perez and Mysterio, Cena found himself on the receiving end of moves from Raquel Rodriguez, Finn Balor, JD McDonagh, and the returning Liv Morgan. For Booker, Cena's exchange with Perez was extra special given that he personally trained the former NXT Women's Champion during her early rise on the independent wrestling scene. Fast forward to November 2025, Perez then crossed paths with Cena, a 17-time world champion, at one of WWE's biggest PLEs.

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