WWE Interview with John Cena, Stacy Keibler and Edge
By Aceinet

Three WWE Superstars provided an insightful interview into the world of Sports Entertainment and gaming

At E3 2005 three WWE Superstars were on hand at the THQ booth for a round-robin interview session with gaming media. When I first heard of the interview I thought it would be cool diversion from the rigors of E3, meaning we just talk gaming and more gaming. I have been a wrestling fan since a child and I have grown up watching wrestling almost my entire life. There have been a few years where I quit watching entirely and recently I haven’t been watching that much WWE programming. But after the interview with John Cena, Stacy Keibler, and Edge at E3 I realized that I’m starting to miss wrestling. Even though I might not enjoy certain aspects of the show anymore, the people in the ring are the ones that bust their butts to entertain us every night.

The wrestlers in the ring are real-life videogame characters. Their characters inside the ring are larger than life, can perform incredible moves and almost always appear ready when you want them. But unlike a videogame, the characters these entertainers portray can actually get hurt. The WWE entertainers have their own lives outside of the ring. It was interesting to hear the WWE Superstars talk openly about their lives to the gaming press. It was entertaining to also hear the gaming press talk about wrestling. I thought I was going to be the only one to ask wrestling questions but several of the journalists had wrestling-related questions. Here is a recap of the some of the questions asked during the interview session.

Does the gimmick make the wrestler or does the wrestler make the gimmick?

John Cena “The wrestlers need to be able to entertain. They need to have something special to offer to the fans or the fans will see through it right away. They need to have some sort of presence, but when the bell rings they need to be able to back it up. “ 

I asked if certain wrestlers “get it” in the ring and know what to do when out in front of 20,000 people or is it something they can learn?

John Cena  “So many talk about 'it' that it’s hard to do know what 'it' is. Our fans attach themselves to the passion and believability. If you truly love the business and what you do that it should be a godsend to walk out from behind the curtain every time you do it. The people will feed off the energy but feed it right back to you whether they love you or hate you. Cause that’s how strongly they feel about you so how many people are out there chasing 'it' I don’t what 'it' is and if you’re serious about what you do it will show.”

Another journalist asked if the wrestlers would want the Wrestlemania games to go more towards the Madden games with simulation and career mode?

John Cena: “I think the games are going that way. THQ is focusing on the online play, which would mean you could have your own career online. It’s tough because it’s a trial-and-error process. One thing I love about sports game is the ability to have a franchise mode, control the salary cap, the price of hotdogs and foam fingers. I love that option. I love Tiger Wood’s games because there are so many unlockable options. I love that stuff. I think THQ is on the verge of that; they just want to do it right. It’s just that you know how it works in football, basketball or baseball it would be uncharted territory in a wrestling game but I think it’s something they should tackle because I think it would make a great game.”

I then asked how much he would charge for beer in a wrestling simulation mode?

John Cena: “I would give away beer, I would give away tickets but I would charge $5,000 for everyone to leave. That’s the rig on Madden to get the customers you lower the price of beer. I’m still playing Madden 04 cause I’m trying to finish a dynasty. I’m 17 years through the dynasty and I’m trying to finish 30. But to keep the attendance high you lower the price of beer and you’re all good.”

Another interviewer ask if you could only pick one game would it be Madden or Tecmo Super Bowl.

John Cena: “Tecmo Super Bowl. To this day that is the game. The Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Oilers - those are my two teams. I will married to that game for the rest of my life.”

Another question brought up is what have games lost? 

John Cena: “Games have lost their arcade feel. It was cool when 8-Bit and Genesis hit because you can take the arcade games home. Now to me games are passing me. I can’t keep up with the shooters or role-playing games without a strategy guide. With Contra or Double Dragon or Ikari Warriors it was button mashing. It was beatable game if you stick to it and memorize the boards. That was the thrill of the game. Now it’s so much better because it’s closer to real life but at the same games are passing me by. There are certain games I can play but there are certain games I can’t play. NBA Street is great button masher still because you pop the game in and play. I wish they would still kick guys like me some of those games, those arcade-feel games. I think they are doing it because of the joystick consoles, the Atari games, those games are making a huge comeback. There is a market for those games. But at the same time you can’t stop progress and I look at it thinking 'That’s awesome' but I’ll never be able to get it. “

One reviewer mentions two games to Cena, Lego Star Wars and Mario Baseball.

Cena laughs: “I feel bad. Rather then go there I’ve got my season going on Baseball Stars (old school!) right now and still got Tecmo Super Bowl. I’ve got the Operation Wolf and WrestleFest stand-up games at the house. I get my games where I need to.”

Another journalists makes a comment that it’s admirable that Cena is still trying to go through 30 seasons in Madden when most people give up.

Cena comments: “I still have the commemorative edition of Madden 05 in the wrapper and not even going to play it. Hopefully by the time I finish 04 I’ll be ready to play 2006 but I’ll probably skip it and go to Madden 2007. “

A question is asked for all of the wrestlers “If we turned on your console at home what would be in it?”

Stacy: “Smackdown vs. Raw is in my PlayStation.” 

Edge: “I would need it hooked up and I actually to be home to play it.”

A question was asked to Edge about his first appearance in the WWE and how a wrestler he was competing against was hurt. How did it effect his confidence?

Edge: “That night definitely shook my confidence. TV debut and knocking out your opponent is not exactly a great start. I didn’t feel comfortable in the ring. Whether that would happen or not. I was told 'Edge, come through the crowd.' That was extent of what my character was, that’s what I was told. It left me with a lot of questions. I was actually happy that they came up with the idea of the Brood. Now at that point I was able to lean on two other guys and it helped my gain whatever confidence I may have lost back.

I ask a question if it’s more important for writers to provide them with a ton of background or do you like to wing when you’re out in front of the crowd?

Edge: “When I first joined the company I wasn’t going to wing it because I didn’t know what the consequences would be once I got behind the curtains. When you get comfortable and realize that you can wing it a lot of the times and it works better because it flows out as you’re doing it and it doesn’t seem contrived. Whether it be a match, a promo, whatever, but to me it’s a comfort level for me to realize that’s it’s ok for me to do my thing.”

When wrestling has been successful there has been era, the Hogan Era, the Attitude Era. What do you see as the next era coming out?

Cena:  “That’s one of those things that one of these days someone is going to say 'hey that’s an era' and it’s going to stick. During the peaks and valleys the show never stops. You just keep going. When they get the phrase they’re going to stick it to us but we just keep going.”

A question was asked to all of the wrestlers if they feel confined to the script given to them by the writers since some of best catch phrases in wrestling have resulted from adlib.

Cena replies: “Not at all.”

Edge responds: “How would you know that?

The journalist replies: “I have some friends that work in the industry.”

Edge counters: “Well I have some friends that work in the industry as well.” Which brings a chuckle from a few of the other journalists.

The journalist mentions a name of a wrestler that has recently started with the WWE.

Edge replies: “It’s different for every guy. It’s all about a comfort level for them to be able to do it and it’s just different for everyone. But when it comes to your character if you’re going to produce and put something entertaining on TV then you’re going to be given some leeway to do your thing. I’m guessing nobody writes your stuff for you.”

Cena replies: “That the most entertaining TV is done by the seat of your pants.  It’s drama and realness. When I go out there you get me. If we took our writing cast and put them next to each other nobody is going to say 'Yo, this is hot in the hood you have to say this.' Just go out there and do what you do.”

A question is asked about injuries in the ring. Do the wrestlers think about an injury or just force it out of their mind when in the ring?

Edge answers: “Having been through neck surgery I don’t think about it at all. I think if I did that’s when I would get hurt again. If I get hurt I have to roll with it but I can’t think about it the next time I’m in there (the ring). The one thing that does happen if you keep working through an injury is something else will try to compensate for the injury. I had a torn MCL when I compensated for that then I hurt my neck causing I was landing differently, trying to keep my foot up and not hurt my knee, but started to land on my neck. But I can’t think about it now.  I have to go in and say Ok I can’t get hit directly over the head with a steel chair anymore, if you’re going to hit me swing it like a baseball bat. I can’t take a piledriver and I shouldn’t be falling off ladders but I still do. Those are the things I have to keep in my mind when I go into the ring.”

It was a great interview session with the WWE Superstars. There was a ton of great questions asked and some great answers from the Superstars. I was especially impressed with John Cena. You could tell that he’s a gamer at heart and loves to play games when he has the time. It was great seeing these guys (and lady) up close and personal without the hoopla of the WWE surrounding them.   

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