Jim Ross detailed how he discovered John Cena while he still worked for WWE during an interview with Sportskeeda.
Here is what he had to say:
“John was up in Southern California, working part-time in several jobs; moving company, truck driver, just a litany of things, while he was training with Rick Bassman in UPW in Southern California,” Ross said. “I was up there and actually scouting somebody else, I can’t remember who it was now. John looked like Sting, long-flat top haircut, so we had our little sit down.
“We have our sit down and get to know each other and I found out he’s a former All-American center. I found out his strength coach has now become the coach at Oklahoma University, I find out he knew as much wrestling trivia as anybody that I had been around, so a true student of the game.”
Ross then brought up pitching Cena to WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon:
“I remember I took the red-eye that night, LAX to New York City,” Ross recalled. “And I was so excited to meet this guy that I went to the office first and I caught Vince and I’m still in my wrinkled sleepy clothes. He says, ‘where you been?’ I told him. ‘You see anybody you like?’ I said, ‘as a matter of fact I did. I think I saw a kid that will headline WrestleMania in five years or less.’ Vince said, ‘I think you need to go home and take a shower. You’re delusional.’ But I was high on John Cena.”
H/T to Wrestling Inc