John Cena may be the Undisputed WWE Champion today, but his road to that milestone has not always been smooth. His journey to tying Ric Flair’s record with a seventeenth world title win at WrestleMania 41, where he defeated Cody Rhodes, comes after years of highs, lows, and reinvention.

Looking back on his early career, Cena reflected on his WWE debut on the June 27, 2002 episode of SmackDown. That night, he confronted Kurt Angle and delivered the now-iconic declaration of “Ruthless Aggression!” While the moment became a defining highlight, the persona itself failed to resonate long-term.

“The time period I wish I had a do-over for was the ruthless aggression character. I did nothing with it,” Cena said during a panel at Philadelphia Fan Expo.

Cena revealed that he was nearly released from the company during that period. His fortunes changed only after he adopted the 'Dr. of Thuganomics' persona, which quickly caught the attention of both Stephanie McMahon and the WWE Universe.