Add as a preferred source on Google Exactly 15 years ago, John Cena was at the center of one of the most unusual moments in WWE history. On May 1, 2011, just after Extreme Rules in Tampa, Florida, the newly crowned WWE Champion announced to the live audience the death of Osama bin Laden.
That night, Cena had defeated The Miz and John Morrison in a Triple Threat Steel Cage Match, reclaiming the WWE Championship in the pay-per-view’s main event. The broadcast ended with Cena celebrating atop the cage, shortly before the news completely changed the mood inside the arena.
According to WWE itself, Cena first heard the information from a cameraman and tried to confirm the news with other people around the ring before taking the microphone. The wrestler later said he did not want to announce something that had not yet happened.
Once confirmed, Cena climbed onto the commentators’ table and informed the crowd that Bin Laden had been killed, saying “The President has just announced that we have caught and compromised to a permanent end, Osama bin Laden”, provoking a strong reaction from fans, who began chanting “U.S.A.” inside the St. Pete Times Forum.
Shortly afterward, Barack Obama made the official announcement at the White House, confirming that the United States had carried out the operation against Bin Laden in Pakistan.
The moment was replayed the following night on Monday Night RAW, when WWE opened the show in a patriotic atmosphere, with The Rock also saying “We got him” during his birthday celebration.