IShowSpeed may be one of the internet’s most energetic entertainers, but his recent dive into WWE training has sparked a more serious conversation: could the 20-year-old streamer actually become a professional wrestler? From running drills at the WWE Performance Center to taking bumps from established stars, Speed has shown he’s not just playing for the cameras. He sells moves convincingly, engages the crowd like he’s been doing it for years, and brings a natural athletic flair that most rookies don’t have. Yet, even with that potential, John Cena, one of WWE’s biggest icons, thinks Speed’s future belongs somewhere entirely different. And it’s not in wrestling or sprinting.
John Cena praises IShowSpeed’s talent but warns against a career switch
During a recent conversation on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Cena praised how quickly IShowSpeed adapts to physical storytelling and crowd psychology. Watching a sprint clip featuring the streamer, Cena marveled at his athleticism and charisma, explaining that both are rare and valuable in sports entertainment. However, Cena argued that the real issue isn’t whether Speed can wrestle professionally, it’s whether he should sacrifice his successful digital career to chase it. “So I see this and be like, this kid should be a wrestler. Because he is athletic, and he can talk shit, and back it up. My god, this kid, he would be a 20-time champion whatever. But no, he should do this (livestreaming)… he should do neither. He should just do that… and just keep crushing.”Cena’s message highlights something deeper about modern fame: in an era where creators command bigger audiences than many athletes, Speed may already be in the best lane for his future. His WWE appearances, whether selling a chair shot from Randy Orton or performing as a Prime mascot at WrestleMania, work precisely because of his streaming identity, not in spite of it.While legends like Orton see a full-time wrestler in him, Cena believes Speed’s greatest strength is his one-of-a-kind ability to stay unpredictable, funny, and viral, without needing to belong to one industry. If he keeps training just enough to surprise fans, but not enough to replace streaming, he may end up with the rarest prize of all: crossover stardom on his own terms.Also Read: “I could be harmed”: QTCinderella regrets becoming a streamer as harassment and safety concerns overshadow her career
