John Cena bringing the WWE ‘spice and experience’ to Melbourne in epic showdown event at the MCG

THERE is no place WWE legend John Cena — loved and loathed by fans in equal measure — would rather be than in the middle of the ring. So he can’t wait to perform to a sellout crowd at the MCG later this year.

HE has been a star of the Hollywood screen, busted rhymes on his own rap album and boasts the largest Facebook following of any current US athlete.

But not even estimated career earnings of more than $74 million and an upcoming movie alongside Jackie Chan can keep John Cena away from his greatest love.

John Cena is bringing WWE to Melbourne. Picture: Getty

There is no place the WWE legend — loved and loathed by fans in equal measure — would rather be than in the middle of the ring.

And with the Sunday Herald Sun today revealing Melbourne is set to host the biggest WWE event in Australian history, 16-time world champion Cena said he could hardly wait to perform to a sellout crowd at the MCG in October.

“If you’ve seen WWE programming you will know that some cheer my name and some of them cheer my name with the word sucks after it,’’ he said.

“So it’s a little bit of give and take but … there is no substitute for what you feel inside a WWE ring when you are performing.

RELATED CONTENT:

WWE WRESTLING ROYALTY BRINGING TO SMACKDOWN TO THE MCG

WWE EXPLAINED: THE WHO’S WHO IN WRESTLING SUPERSTARS

TEAM USA BASKETBALLERS TO PLAY IN MELB SPORTING SLAM DUNK

“What gets me the most charged is that moment of being present in front of the crowd that is just full of energy.

“You get swept up in it man, it is absolutely the thing I most enjoy and I’m really excited about being able to come home (to WWE) on October 6 because I miss that feeling and I want it again.’’

Cena, 41, is the face of a global sports-entertainment empire that the AFL can only dream of in terms of size, scale and reach.

Beamed into more than 800 million households worldwide, the combination of sport, theatre and rock concert is screened in more than 180 countries in 25 languages.

About two million people attend live events each year, spending more than $1 billion and pushing its social media membership beyond 900 million followers.

Far from just child’s play, 78 per cent of WWE audiences are aged 21 and over and the split of men and women filling seats at live events is about 60 per cent male and 40 per cent female.

Cena, who moves more merchandise than anyone in the wacky world of WWE, said his approach to the industry was simple.

Cena taking down an opponent in the WWE ring.

“My work — what I do for a job — is to make other people happy,’’ he said.

“I put smiles on people’s faces.

“A lot of the time that is when I get my butt whipped and they’re happy that I got my ass kicked but still, it’s what I get to do for a living and it’s tremendously rewarding beyond finance.

“It gives you a great deal of depth as a human being and that is reason enough to wake up.’’

Not only is Cena a big deal in WWE, he is a drawcard in the lucrative entertainment world with movie and music credits, reality TV hosting duties and regular stints on Saturday Night Live to go with his wrestling superstardom.

Cena reckons WWE is a little the same — a mix of athleticism, “vibrant’’ entertainment, uplifting tunes and storytelling.

WWE is the number one sports channel on YouTube and its dedicated channel is the second-most viewed in the world.

Celebrities as diverse as Hugh Jackman, Arnold Schwartzenegger, Betty White and Snoop Dogg have been close to the action at live events in the US.

And “WrestleMania’’ — WWE’s annual answer to the NFL Super bowl — was recently ranked one of the top 10 most valuable sports brands by Forbes for the fourth consecutive year.

WrestleMania won’t come to Melbourne in October. It never leaves US shores.

But, in an exclusive interview with the Sunday Herald Sun, Cena said Victorians were getting the next best thing with all the “spice and experience’’.

“You can only have one WrestleMania a year and I love the fact that the world does come together on that fateful Sunday that we call WrestleMania,’’ he said.

“I know we don’t call it WrestleMania but October 6 in Melbourne is going to be the best you will see out of the WWE.

“I know that the world will appreciate Melbourne … but the show is for Melbourne and Australia and it is a commitment by the WWE to establish that massive stadium-style presence in Australia.’’

Cena getting the jump on Triple H during the WWE Greatest Royal Rumble event. Picture: AAP

Paul Levesque — the WWE chief operating officer and executive vice president of talent by day and legend of the sport as alter ego Triple H by night — compared the sport’s rise with Marvel’s march from comic book company to global entertainment giant.

“When you look at it from the sports entertainment standpoint, there is not a lot out there bigger than we are,’’ he said.

“And when you begin to put that into every corner of the globe there is really no corner of the planet where WWE is not seen and its superstars not household names.’’

He said fans in Melbourne could expect: “a spectacle like no other’’.

“It’s part rock concert, part sporting event, part theatre,’’ he said.

“You’re laughing one minute, crying the next, jumping off the edge of your seat the minute after that.

“There are big characters and larger than life entrances — just the scope and the grandeur of what we do is really breathtaking.’’

This year’s MCG spectacular will be poles apart from the first WWE tour of Melbourne in 1985 when the show was known as World Wrestling Federation.

Australia was the first country outside North America to host a live tour at a time Hulk Hogan was wrestling royalty and the Festival Hall card featured the likes of Junkyard Dog, Iron Mike Sharpe and Adrian Adonis.

The biggest WWE event staged in Melbourne to date took place at Etihad Stadium in 2002 when a then record 56,743 watched ``Triple H’’ headline a star studded event.

Cena’s talents go beyond the wrestling ring. He’s starred in several movies including Blockers (pictured) and Trainwreck.

But even he said this year’s show would substantially eclipse that in terms of spectacle and entertainment.

“To come over with this size and scale of event, with the largest roster and biggest show we’ve ever done in Australia is very, very exciting,’’ he said.

“There are not many locations we can go in and have the fan base and excitement and sell out a stadium show.

“On the scale of the events that we do around the globe this would certainly have to be around the top.

“The MCG is such a beautiful stadium and to go in there and do is show of this calibre is awesome.’’

With more than 70 wrestlers from all corners of the globe to descend on Melbourne for the groundbreaking major event, Levesque said it would be one of the biggest and best WWE events held anywhere in the world.

“It’s not just a big number — you’re talking about the top superstars and legends of WWE,’’ he said.

“It’s a who’s who of WWE both past and present.’’

Cena agreed, revealing he literally cleared his diary to be part of one of the greatest collections of WWE talent assembled.

“It’s one that I couldn’t ignore,’’ he said.

“The WWE train moves forward with or without you but I really didn’t want to miss something this big.

“So I’m really am honoured and grateful to be part of something that is going to be such a treat for all the WWE universe and Australia.’’