Putting aside every drama that Hulk Hogan has been involved with in the past, the man has left his mark on the wrestling industry. Being the poster child for the business for nearly two decades, it is undeniable that Hogan is anything less than one of the biggest names in the industry. Even WWE’s ultimate babyface John Cena was inspired by the Hulkster in his teenage years.

Revealing in an interview, Cena opened up about how Hogan’s charisma led to wrestling matches in his basement, long before he would start his wrestling career.

John Cena reveals how Hulk Hogan inspired wrestling matches in his basement

When sitting down with Mike Bullard, on his show, Open Mike in 2003, Cena elaborated on his then-rising wrestling career. As it was the beginning of his career, everyone wanted to know how he got started on this path. He responded with a relatable story about wrestling with his brothers in the basement after watching Hogan compete in front of large audiences on TV.

Trending

Triple H’s Stance on Tiffany Stratton’s “Black B**ch” Comment on Jade Cargill Revealed

What Is “Veiledrood” From Uncle Howdy’s Latest QR Code on SmackDown?

What’s Wrong With Tama Tonga’s Voice? Likely Reason Behind Meme Worthy Reaction Revealed

Major Update on Bianca Belair’s Pregnancy Rumors Given Ahead of Jade Cargill Queen of the Ring Match

“Looks Second Rate”: Tony Khan Slammed for Poor AEW Production Amid Rating Slump

He recalled, “I got four brothers, none of them had a Ken doll. But we always used to wrestle in our basement. Used to wrestle on bare concrete. We would watch the Hulkster on TV and go down in the basement and beat each other up.”

Manipulated Into Admitting Steroid Use, John Cena Once Fell Victim to $4.3 Billion Corporation’s Malicious Attempts to Ruin WWE’s Public Image

This comes off as not surprising as Cena was in his early teenage years when Hogan was at his peak in WWE. Also, Cena’s character at the start of the 2010s was also very similar to Hogan’s pre-WCW character as well.

The similarity between Hulk Hogan’s and John Cena’s personas in WWE

Hulk Hogan became a sensation in the ’80s because of the mass appeal of his character. Strong, optimistic, underdog, and nice with children, Hogan was the perfect bankable star that Vince McMahon was looking for. All of those characteristics ring true for Cena’s character as well.

One similarity between them is also that Cena and pre-WCW Hogan never went heel during their time in the spotlight. This was even mocked in Cena’s Firefly FunHouse Match with Bray Wyatt where Cena dressed up as the nWo leader, something that fans desperately wanted out of Cena.

WATCH THIS STORY: Deep Dive Into Hollywood Star and WWE Legend John Cena’s Style

Tell us what you think about Hogan’s influence on Cena in the comments below.