John Cena is Reportedly a Massive Fan of New NXT Star

WWE is in the process of overhauling the WWE NXT roster, and it appears that John Cena is rooting for one new arrival in particular.

This past week's episode of WWE NXT saw several debuts, including the first appearance of former IWGP Heavyweight Champion EVIL. However, one big man got a lot of the internet talking, including the 17-time world champion Cena.

Will Kroos made his WWE television debut on Tuesday's episode, laying out WWE NXT Champion Tony D'Angelo with a moonsault. The 29-year-old stands out with his agility and athleticism, weighing in close to 300 lbs.

HE’S BIG….
HE’S BAD….
HE’LL BODYSLAM YOUR DAD!!! 🔥🔥🔥 https://t.co/cPs7w7J6ha
— John Cena (@JohnCena) April 29, 2026

Cena took to social media on Wednesday, quoting WWE's video of Kroos' debut and reciting his signature phrase. The move took many by surprise, as this is Kroos' first appearance on major American wrestling TV after a dominating run throughout the U.K.

Cena's a big fan of Kroos

While Cena is known to post cryptically about wrestlers on his socials, it's surprising to see someone with as little mainstream exposure as Kroos get a nod. A new report from Cultaholic on Friday sheds some light on this.

John Cena as the guest of WrestleMania 42. | WWE

The UK-based outlet noted that Cena has been a big fan of Kroos for some time, and introduced himself to the rising star at a WWE taping in the U.K. last year. After greeting Kroos, he reportedly told him that he knew exactly who he was, as it is believed he enered Cena's radar through videos of his move set that went viral.

Kroos made his debut in 2017 and spent four years honing his craft in PROGRESS Wrestling from 2022 through 2026. He also worked for Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan for the last several years. He is a former Progress Atlas Champion.

Cena has not had much involvement with the NXT brand over the course of his WWE career, though he is in the midst of figuring out what his long-term role will be with the company now that he has worn his jorts for the final time. He closed out his wrestling career in December against Gunther, losing his final match via submission at Saturday Night's Main Event.

His WWE absence was not long, though. He would return to the company to serve as the guest host for WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas last month, being involved in segments featuring Bianca Belair, Kit Wilson, Danhausen, and The Miz. There, he granted Danhausen his permission to use the "Five Knuckle Shuffle."

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