John Cena at SXSW 2014

John Cena at SXSW 2014

John Cena at SXSW 2014

FEBRUARY 02, 2025

With John Cena's incredible performance at tonight's 2025 Royal Rumble, I decided to look back at the time I saw him in person at SXSW. I searched YouTube to see if anyone had posted footage from that day, and incredibly, I found myself in the background of this clip!

It's fun seeing WWE rolling out the WWE Network with their complete library of matches and promos in an app form. A little more than a decade later, I'd argue all of their presence on screen is through streaming. Whether it's their giant new Netflix deal or pay-per-views (now called premium live events) are also streamed via mobile apps.

It's surreal seeing myself in this footage after all this time. You can spot me at the 1:05 mark in the clip. Here's the full YouTube video of that memorable press conference:

Looking at this clip again:

Me spotted in John Cena SXSW footage

One of the most impressive moments from this press conference was when a reporter asked John Cena a question in Mandarin Chinese - and Cena responded fluently in Mandarin! It completely changed my perception of him. Here was someone you might dismiss as just another gym-focused wrestler, but he revealed himself to be nuanced and brilliant. I never underestimated him again after that.

What makes this memory even more special is how Cena's 2025 Royal Rumble performance tonight reminded everyone why he's one of the greatest of all time. From his SXSW appearances to WWE events, he always brings his A-game and creates memorable moments for fans - while constantly surprising people with hidden depths they never expected.