Who doesn’t know John Cena! The charismatic and determined WWE wrestler known for his bold personality, perseverance against odds, impressive physique, and, of course, captivating screen presence has created a legacy that will be remembered forever.
Cena’s first starring film role was in The Marine (2006), and he gained praise for his performances in Trainwreck (2015), Ferdinand (2017). Even in wrestling, John Cena has been a 16-time world champion. Yet, do you know what gained him more fame than all his career accomplishments? The now-famous “You Can’t See Me” gesture.
As per WWE, the phrase reportedly began as a joke at home. Cena said that the words and motion originated from a playful moment with his younger brother Sean. While goofing around to some hip-hop beats they were exploring for Cena’s upcoming album, Sean broke out a silly dance move from a music video—moving his head behind his hand.
That dance became the center of a dare. Even though, at that time, John Cena was still finding his place in WWE, appearing on a secondary show called Velocity. Seizing the opportunity to test out new ideas, Cena told his brother he would do the goofy move on TV. Sean didn’t believe him, and he lost that bet.
John Cena later tweaked the move slightly for a public showcase, and instead of moving his head, he waved his hand in front of his face. And just like that, a cultural phenomenon was born. “Let me be clear—I hate the word ‘catchphrase,’” Cena says. “It’s like saying ‘think outside the box.’ It just feels forced.”
The phrase became something that people associated him with. Once Cena moved to WWE’s main roster, the gesture evolved into a fan favorite and iconic move. Every time he waved his hand and made the gesture with his fingers, his fans screamed out loud. Yet, the actor said that the phrase has a deeper meaning than just playfulness. Cena explained, “It’s not just about visibility. It’s me telling someone: you’re not on my level. Competitively, I’m out of reach.”
In simple words, the phrase means I am stronger, faster, and perhaps you can’t keep up with me, hence you can’t see me! This truly applies to his WWE opponents while he’s in the ring. Yet, like every good thing, it has an alternative side. Opponents mock John Cena for it, sarcastically pointing out the irony of a massive man in neon gear claiming to be “invisible.”
However, besides his ardent fans, NBA stars like LeBron James have also used the hand sign to mimic John Cena and as a symbol to showcase victory. Even when Cena attended billionaire businessman Mukesh Ambani’s son’s wedding, he was seen making a gesture on the red carpet in Mumbai as fans and paparazzi yelled in excitement.
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No matter where it shows up, “You Can’t See Me” will always belong to John Cena. On that note… Happy weekend! Make sure you rest so hard it’s like no one can see you working ( pun intended).
