During a recent interview with Adrian Hernandez, WWE Superstar Montez Ford recalled the time he wrestled John Cena in a dark match following the September 22, 2023 episode of WWE SmackDown.
You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On wrestling John Cena and Rey Mysterio on the same night: “I was the same way you felt. I didn’t know that was gonna happen [laughs]. It was amazing, though. John Cena, man. I could sit here and talk about ages and years and times, and how he inspires me, inspires someone else, inspires someone I know, inspires someone that’s still watching, inspires someone that’s not in the wrestling realm. He, to a lot of people, is the GOAT, man. For me to have the opportunity to face someone I watched as a child and idolized as well, and being on the same level, competing in a one-on-one match, is unprecedented man.”
On how it made him feel: “I just remember being there, going like, ‘I can’t effing believe this is happening.’ This little tadpole that’s running around Chicago and in North Carolina with these WWE Championships is now in the ring with arguably to some people the greatest of all time. It was just mind-blowing, man. Still to this day, I go back because my pictures will pop up on my timeline, and I’ll see it, and I’ll be, ‘Jesus, man. That happened.’”
On how it makes everything worth while: “You can smile and be of grace for four hours [during media days] because granted, to some people, it may be difficult or hard to have media junkets for four hours, but when you look at the things that you can do leading or after or before those media junkets, it makes everything worth the while because you’ll find yourself in the ring with John Cena [laughs]. I had two matches that night. I had a tag match with Rey, then I had the match at the end of the night with John. It was the same night. A lot of people, when I came backstage, they were like, ‘You know you wrestled Rey Mysterio and John Cena the same night? What’s going on?’ I was like, ‘Well, they love me’ [laughs].”
Wrestling fans were treated to a rare and unforgettable moment when WWE Superstar Montez Ford stepped into the ring with two legendary wrestlers, John Cena and Rey Mysterio, on the same night. In a recent interview with Adrian Hernandez, Ford shared his thoughts and emotions about this extraordinary experience.
Ford expressed his admiration for John Cena, describing him as an inspiration not only to wrestlers but also to people from all walks of life. He acknowledged Cena’s status as the “Greatest of All Time” and expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to face someone he idolized as a child. Ford emphasized the significance of competing in a one-on-one match with Cena, highlighting the unprecedented nature of the encounter.
Recalling the moment he realized he would be wrestling Cena, Ford admitted to feeling disbelief and awe. He described himself as a “little tadpole” who had grown up watching Cena and now found himself sharing the ring with him. The experience was mind-blowing for Ford, and even now, when he sees pictures from that night, he is reminded of how incredible it was.
Ford also mentioned that he had the privilege of wrestling Rey Mysterio earlier in the same night. Having two matches with two legendary wrestlers in one evening was an extraordinary feat. When he returned backstage after his matches, Ford was met with astonishment from his peers who couldn’t believe he had wrestled both Mysterio and Cena on the same night. Ford humorously responded by saying, “Well, they love me.”
Reflecting on the overall experience, Ford emphasized that moments like these make all the hard work and sacrifices worthwhile. He mentioned that media days can be exhausting, but when you have the opportunity to step into the ring with icons like Cena and Mysterio, it puts everything into perspective. These extraordinary experiences are what make the journey as a professional wrestler fulfilling and rewarding.
The interview with Montez Ford provides fans with a glimpse into the emotions and thoughts of a wrestler who had the privilege of facing two legends in one night. It serves as a reminder of the impact that wrestlers like John Cena have on the industry and how their influence extends beyond the wrestling realm. Moments like these are what make professional wrestling so special and memorable for both the wrestlers and the fans.