John Cena’s theme song is iconic.
When you hear the triumphant sound of horns, you know instantly who is set to come out. Those horns lead into a frenzied drop accompanied by a bevy of percussion and drums.
Many themes in professional wrestling are instantly recognizable. Cena’s theme song is one of them. We could look to other themes for legends such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, and The Rock (through multiple variations).
What makes Cena’s theme song so iconic is that his voice carries it. His lyrics, his raps, and the theme is 100% Cena. It allows the fans to identify the wrestler with something recognizable. Today, Cena’s theme song celebrates a heavy milestone.
John Cena’s Theme Debuted 20 Years Ago
When Cena began his rise to superstardom, he created a theme song himself titled “Basic Thuganomics,” which features him rapping. From 2003 to March 2005, whenever you heard his iconic intro, you knew business was about to pick up.
During that period, Cena was known as the Doctor Of Thuganomics, as he played the gimmick of a rapper who could cut into his opponents with words. Cena would often freestyle against his opponents before their match, showcasing his rap skills.
20 years ago today, John Cena debuted his iconic ‘My Time Is Now’ theme song.
— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) March 17, 2025
After two years of using “Basic Thuganomics,” Cena would debut a brand new theme, “The Time Is Now” on SmackDown, as he was embroiled in a feud with WWE Champion JBL. The theme would take on a life of its own and become synonymous with Cena’s legacy.
For over 20 years, “The Time Is Now” has reigned as the theme song for John Cena and crossed over to other platforms as well. You can hear the theme played at certain sports events, as well as in commercials. That is the definition of a legendary theme song.
Cena Refuses To Change Theme Song Despite Heel Turn
On RAW, Cena walked out to his iconic theme in his iconic gear that we’ve known him to wear for the last 20 years. Cena would cut a direct promo at the fans and how fickle they were, making it known that the fans deserve nothing.
Cena won’t change his gear, won’t change his theme, won’t change anything about himself because of the people. He feels they deserve nothing new. Whether Cena sticks to that as this WrestleMania story progresses remains to be seen.
Will Cena change his theme before he retires at the end of the year? Will he stick with his iconic theme through the end of the year? If Cena’s promo on RAW is accurate, “The Time Is Now” is here to stay.