Heath Slater Recalls John Cena’s Backstage Fury Over WWE Segment

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Heath Slater recently recounted a memorable incident from a WWE live event where John Cena expressed his anger over a comedic segment involving the Nexus. This took place during a period when Cena was involved in a serious feud with the faction.

During an interview with Inside the Ropes, Slater described the live event scenario where several babyface wrestlers attacked the Nexus with foam pool noodles. “Funny story on that. One time, there was a live event. John Cena was working somebody. It was a cage match. We all ran down, jumped the cage, got in, let the guys in and we beat the s—t out of Cena,” Slater said. “Next thing you know, Santino, Morrison, Kofi, all the babyfaces run out, but they have foam pool noodles. They’re running down and they’re just in the ring hitting us with them and we’re selling it.

“But then we see it and we start fighting back, what the hell?” Slater added.

Slater then described Cena’s intense reaction backstage following the segment. “We get in the back and Cena is so mad, he picks up this red stool and overhand throws it on the ground and shatters it,” Slater recalled. “And he’s like, ‘Guys, what the f—k? You guys are coming in here while we’re trying to build this group up, make them killers and everything, and you’re fighting with pool noodles?”

Slater noted the passion Cena demonstrated for the business. “He went off on them trying to protect us, to where I just was like, Cena is invested a little bit, so that’s kind of cool. But yeah, that was just one time where it was like, we were supposed to be killers. Don’t treat us like we’re not killers. That pack of hyenas,” Slater continued. “But they came down with pool noodles just swinging on us. We were just like, what the hell are you doing?”

In a related vein, TJ Wilson expressed his pride in fellow wrestler Jey Uso’s recent accomplishments. Uso won the men’s Royal Rumble match this past January, and Wilson shared his excitement during the “Developmentally Speaking” podcast.

“So, I texted him that night. I said, ‘Hey man, good luck. Just so you know, you will never be looked at the same ever again,’” Wilson stated. “Thankfully, it’s one of those — I’ve been wrong many times — but this was one of those times where I was extremely right, and I’m very happy for it, and very proud of Jey Uso.”

Wilson elaborated on the circumstances that led to Uso’s moment. “I just knew, once The Usos really got a shot, they’re never looking back, and it just happened to be Jey. But then, I mean, Jimmy followed suit too. There’s no looking back for those guys.”

The wrestling community continues to discuss these behind-the-scenes moments, highlighting the dynamics that shape the performances seen in the ring.