In a recent interview with Bluff Magazine, Cena revealed to one of their journalists that he and his fellow wrestlers look to fill idle hours with a series of card games while traveling to arenas. Cena explained that the card games are the perfect way to prevent boredom during traveling and help to build a rapport with the newer additions to the WWE roster.
Cena didn't, however, name any of his fellow professional wrestlers who partake in these card games, although he did specify that these games are pretty competitive even though no monetary incentives are ever present. He goes on to say how films such as Rounders—the iconic poker film centering around Matt Damon and his down and out friend Worm, played by Ed Norton—was a catalyst in encouraging him to play poker more regularly. On top of that, Cena was blown away with the popularity poker has commanded since the pioneering websites were launched in the late '90s. And these websites are still operating to huge profits today.
It's the live television broadcasts that Cena recalls with great pleasure during his interview with Bluff Magazine, as he likens the development of characters similar to that of the world of wrestling. Poker players such as Johnny Chan, Doyle Brunson, Chris Moneymaker and Phil Helmuth went from relative nobodies into mythical figures—much like the superstar wrestlers—in what seemed overnight.
Although Cena regularly stops at Las Vegas during his hectic WWE schedule, he is yet to play any live poker games and it isn't something that he intends to do as he merely enjoys the camaraderie of the other wrestlers. It would, however, be interesting to see Cena compete at least at a charity poker event like many athletes today such as golfer Tiger Woods, who has his own charity event, entitled Tiger Jam which is an annual event.
For now though, Cena will utilize poker as a way to wind down from his hectic schedule. Who knows, maybe in the future after he's retired from the world of wrestling we may see him venture into the world of poker.
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