John Cena has reflected on his iconic WWE debut against Kurt Angle, calling his portrayal of the “Ruthless Aggression” character his biggest failure. Speaking on The Bill Simmons Podcast , the 17-time World Champion explained that while the slap and the match were effective, his behavior immediately afterward undermined the persona he was trying to establish.

The Setup For The Debut

Cena recalled that his opportunity to debut on SmackDown in June 2002 only came about because The Undertaker was ill. He was thrown into a segment with Kurt Angle at the Allstate Arena (then the Rosemont Horizon), where he famously slapped the Olympic Gold Medalist.

“So here I am, a young whippersnapper, debuting in Chicago because The Undertaker is sick. I get to challenge Kurt Angle to a match on Smac

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