Father Time comes for us all eventually, even a muscle-bound uber-patriotic Superman with the power to turn invisible by waving a hand in front of his face.
None of us are immune.
So it should come as no surprise that John Cena, who recently turned 40, is starting to feel his own mortality, at least with regard to his in-ring career. But perhaps it will come as a surprise that this mortality-feeling is what led to John Cena's "Free-Agent" status with WWE, and not as many assumed, a ploy by the company to move their biggest draw around and secure better ratings for the flagship show, Monday Night Raw. Nor was the reason thought by smark cynics, that Vince McMahon just wanted a John Cena vs Roman Reigns match by hook or by crook, and wasn't willing to wait and build to it logically over the course of several months.
Nope to all of that. No, the real reason is because John Cena requested it.
Speaking to Complex:
"The reason that I wanted to be a free agent and the reason they kind of granted my request is because I don't know if I'll be available for Smackdown specific only or Raw specific only, and I also know that my days are numbered. I just turned 40 in April and we have so many young and talented performers, I don't know how many years I have left. So in the time I have left, I'm gonna do what I can to dedicate to this company I just want to be able to do it the most time that I possibly can."
Cena has been branching out--hosting reality-shows, acting in movies, doing voiceover work for elephants in Pistachio commercials--and he knows he won't be able to work a set schedule with the WWE, so he wants to make sure that when he has a free date, he can show up wherever WWE is running that day and get in some quality Five Knuckle Shuffling.
And working in-ring less actually means he'll be able to extend his longevity even further, as he'll be taking fewer bumps and lowering his risk of injury.
So more power to him. Godspeed, Mr. Cena.
Interesting note: This interview was to promote the new Tapout Body Spray, which makes it the second time in a week that Cena has dropped a bombshell hidden in a fluff piece about smell-good in a spray bottle. The first bombshell, of course, is that he is fully shaved "from the ears down." DOLPHIN SMOOTH.
