It seems the Chain Gang has been left in the mid-2000s WWE.
In winning the Undisputed WWE Championship, John Cena vowed to ruin professional wrestling, then retire with the title still in his hands at the end of 2025. What he can’t guarantee, however, is the return of the Chain Gang along the way.
“[The Chain Gang] is right next to my official Doctorate in Thuganomics, which is stashed in Parts Unknown,” Cena said at Philadelphia Fan Expo (H/T to Fightful for the transcription). “Something I did was etched in your memory. It’s obvious by the way you’re dressed and the album you hold. It puts you in a period of reminiscing. I believe we should never be the person that we were yesterday. You should always be curious and always seek growth.
Cena Is In A Different Place Now
“The 48-year-old me would’ve got my ass kicked by the 26-year-old me,” he continued. “I promised myself I would never wear a suit. All I do nowadays is wear a suit. I didn’t know what love was. Now I have love and joy and peace in my life. I’m not the person I was at 26, and I’m fine with that. I’m so grateful for that CD you hold in your hand and so grateful for people that rep the Chain Gang, I think that’s dope. I’ve just moved forward in my life. I look back on that fondly, I don’t regret it. I’m just in a different place. You won’t see any of that stuff from me going forward, I think.”
Taking inspiration from hip hop culture, John Cena molded himself into the “Doctor of Thuganomics” and the leader of the Chain Gang. For the latter, Cena regularly wore jerseys complemented by a diamond studded Chain Gang medallion around his neck. Eventually, Cena shifted away from this tough exterior in favor of the cleaner, integrity-centric leader of the Cenation gimmick, which ruled the majority of his in-ring career. Now, Cena reigns as a heel, with his record-breaking 17th world championship and more retirement tour dates ahead of him.
