John Cena has just announced plans to take a break from the WWE in order to pursue a TV career. He will serve as the host for FOX's American Grit, a reality TV competition that forces 16 different civilians to work together to complete a gauntlet of military and survival inspired challenges.
Speaking with Zap 2 It, the 15-time World Champion explained the reasons behind his shocking decision.
"I've been a cornerstone of WWE programming since 2002. That's a long time, it's more than 10 years," Said Cena in an interview. "So much so that a portion of our audience has direct complacency with me. 'Man, Cena holds everybody down. He doesn't give the new guys a chance.'"
During his decade long stint at WWE, Cena has compiled one of the most impressive resumes of any professional wrestler ever. His lengthy list of achievements includes 15 different stints as World Champion, 5 reigns as United States Champion, and two Royal Rumble Victories.
Cena hopes that his time on American Grit can help lead new viewers to professional wrestling. The 38-year old cited the successful post-WWE career of Dwyane 'The Rock' Johnson as an example of how not being in the ring actually helps the company more.
"Personally, and this gives me a better perspective on Dwayne Johnson's path, you get to a certain point and you cannot attract any more fans. Essentially, my productivity from a company standpoint...I've done as much as I can - 15 world championships and a myriad of other accomplishments. I don't know what left I can do, but I still want to be able to put people in the building."
The 10-episode season of American Grit will air sometime in 2016. Cena is also serving as an Executive Producer on the series.
