Raquel Rodriguez Recalls Having A Crush On John Cena Before Their WWE Match

Raquel Rodriguez went from admiring John Cena to hitting him with a Tejana Bomb.© NDTV Library

Raquel Rodriguez used to be a fan first, and John Cena was the guy. The RAW star recently talked about having a childhood crush on the 16-time World Champion, and she remembered following his career and buying his famous inflatable hand. Years later she ended up in the ring with him, but her role in Cena's final WWE year was nothing like being a fan. She attacked him during his match against Dominik Mysterio at Survivor Series 2025, and she still brings it up at meet-and-greets.

Raquel Rodriguez Reveals How Her Childhood Crush on John Cena Started During High School

Speaking on INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet, Rodriguez said she was a Cena fan long before she became a WWE Superstar herself. She traced it back to high school, when she first watched him perform live. Her admiration went past just enjoying his matches, she admitted.

"Oh man, I think it started back in high school when I saw John Cena live and I developed a crush for him."

She also remembered owning one of Cena's inflatable hands, the merchandise built around his 'You Can't See Me' gesture. Then there was the Whataburger story. She recalled hearing he had visited a Whataburger in Hidalgo, Texas, near her hometown, and that small detail made her like him even more.

"I remember hearing because I am from the border, which is a very small town. So I remember hearing he went to Whataburger down in Hidalgo, and I was like, he loves Whataburger too. Oh my God, he's the best."

The Judgment Day Star Eventually Got to Attack Her Childhood Crush During John Cena's Retirement Tour

Things between Rodriguez and Cena inside WWE went in a very different direction later. As part of The Judgment Day, she got pulled into Dominik Mysterio's rivalry with the legendary Superstar at Survivor Series 2025. During the match she hit Cena with a Tejana Bomb, which put her in the ring with someone she had admired for years.

Rodriguez also spoke about learning from Cena and hearing his thoughts while working around him. It was something she never expected back in her younger years, she said.

"It was so full circle for me, and I was just very, very grateful that I got to be in that situation."

It gave her something to bring up outside WWE programming too. People came up to her after the show and mentioned she had picked up Cena. When she meets fans wearing his merchandise, she uses the story on them.

"I remind them. I'm like, 'Hey, you know I slammed that guy. I picked him up and I threw him right down.'"

Not a bad story to have when the person you once had a crush on ends up as your opponent inside WWE ring.