John Cena, renowned for his early WWE career as a freestyle rapper, recently bestowed a significant compliment upon AJ Francis, aka Top Dolla, a former WWE performer.
In an exclusive interview, Francis shared Cena’s praise for his rap skills and discussed the challenges of showcasing his talents on television.
During his WWE tenure from 2020 to 2023, Francis, a member of Hit Row, often incorporated unique raps about his rivals before matches.
Despite his musical prowess, he expressed his frustration at not receiving ample opportunities to demonstrate his skills, citing the constraints of limited opportunities.
In a conversation with Riju Dasgupta, Francis recounted Cena’s encouraging words and the double-edged nature of the situation:
“Meeting John Cena and having a conversation with Cena in his dressing room, and Cena was like, ‘Man, you’re the best rapper on Earth.’ He was like, ‘You gotta show them out there when you get the opportunity.’ Sad thing is I never really got the opportunity, so it’s a double-edged sword. You can only do as much as you’re given.” [2:26 – 2:48]
Despite his release from WWE in September 2023, Francis has continued his wrestling journey, competing on the independent scene and making appearances in TNA.
Reflecting on his departure, he expressed gratitude for his time in WWE while asserting his determination to excel elsewhere in the wrestling industry:
“I am more than grateful for my time in WWE but, like I said, man, they don’t want me. They made that clear. They don’t want me. That’s cool, bro. You don’t have to. You don’t think you need me, you don’t need me. They’re doing record numbers. They don’t need me. But here’s the thing, a lot of people could use my services, and a lot of people will and have already started to.” [6:16 – 6:38]
Francis’ final WWE match occurred on September 10, 2023, where he teamed up with Ashante Adonis and B-Fab in an untelevised live event.
As he navigates the wrestling landscape beyond WWE, Francis remains optimistic about the opportunities that lie ahead for him and his fellow performers.
