"We can make choices on what we do"- John Cena tells Joe Rogan the key difference between the UFC and professional wrestling

John Cena highlighted a clear difference between professional wrestling and mixed martial arts while speaking with Joe Rogan. He pointed to the freedom to choose as the defining factor.

In WWE, performers step into the ring with a shared goal. Risks are calculated, and every move is coordinated to protect both athletes while entertaining the audience. That approach allows careers to extend for decades, with wrestlers performing hundreds of shows a year while managing injuries and travel.

UFC fighters operate under different rules. Once the door closes, there is no collaboration, and victory depends on survival. Speaking on episode #2423 of The Joe Rogan Experience, Cena said:

"I think the beautiful advantage that we have is that it's we can we can make choices on what we do. So when you're in UFC, and they close the door, it's kind of f*cking best person wins. You know, it's survival. When we're in WWE, and we both step in the ring, and they ring the bell, we're working together. Working together to put on the best show for the audience. And in that process, you can calculate the risks you want to take. And I think that's what allows somebody to be able to perform for 23 years."

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Check out John Cena's comments below (38:45):

Cena also reflected on the lifestyle outside the ring. WWE performers have to endure punishing schedules, often performing in multiple cities over consecutive nights. Fans, meanwhile, get a closer look at both worlds now since the TKO Group acts as the umbrella organization for both WWE and UFC.

John Cena talks about reading the crowd in WWE during conversation with Joe Rogan

John Cena also told Joe Rogan that WWE is about reading the crowd and reacting in real time. Performers enter the ring with an idea but must pivot based on audience response to keep engagement high.

Cena said that universal emotions like betrayal, anger, excitement, and disappointment resonate with fans across the world, even without words. During the aforementioned podcast episode, he said:

"The fun thing about WWE is you can go out there with an idea. I can only imagine this as kind of like standup where if you got your set and you tell the first joke to crickets, you may try another joke, and if that's crickets, you've got to f*cking pivot. So, we go out and do something, and oh man, they're into it. Great. All right, we have them. We just have to maintain their attention until we get to act three, essentially. But if you hear f*cking crickets, you're like, 'All right, we're switching it up. F*cking pivot right now.'"