Undertaker certainly is a cornerstone of WWE, and just as I say

In the noble and reverent words of John Cena, there shines the voice of one warrior paying homage to another: “Undertaker certainly is a cornerstone of WWE, and just as I say to myself that I really would have liked to been able to get to know and certainly get in the ring with Andre the Giant, just because of all the respect and folklore that went around with Andre, I think The Undertaker has that same sort of respect and folklore around him.” These words are not simply about wrestling — they are about legacy, reverence, and the eternal bond between greatness and respect. In them, Cena captures a truth as ancient as heroism itself: that when a person devotes their life to mastery, endurance, and purpose, they become more than mortal — they become legend.

The meaning of this quote rests upon the timeless idea of honor between warriors. Cena, himself a champion forged in sweat and discipline, speaks with humility of those who came before him — the titans whose names echo through the halls of time. The Undertaker, he says, is not merely a performer or competitor, but a cornerstone, a pillar upon which the very spirit of the craft stands. To call someone a cornerstone is to acknowledge that without them, the structure might fall — that their strength and consistency form the very foundation upon which others build. Cena likens this enduring presence to that of Andre the Giant, whose mythic stature and humility transformed him into something greater than a man — a symbol of the sport’s soul.

The origin of these words can be traced to Cena’s reflections during his own storied career in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He, a man who carried the company into a new era, recognized in The Undertaker the same quiet force that had sustained wrestling through decades of change. Cena had seen many heroes rise and fade, yet The Undertaker — like an ancient sentinel — remained. His dark persona, his unwavering work ethic, his loyalty to the craft, and his mystique gave him a place not merely in wrestling history, but in its mythology. Cena’s wish to have stood across from Andre the Giant and his respect for The Undertaker spring from the same root: a yearning to touch greatness, to share the ring not just with a man, but with a legend who represents something eternal.

In the ancient world, such reverence was reserved for the heroes of myth — Achilles, Hercules, Beowulf — warriors whose deeds became songs that outlived them. The Undertaker stands in that same archetype: the warrior who never breaks, the embodiment of endurance and mystery. His name alone conjures awe, not merely for victories won, but for battles fought through pain, time, and transformation. Like a knight sworn to an unending vigil, The Undertaker bore the mantle of loyalty to his craft and to his audience. Cena’s words, then, are not the praise of one man for another; they are an acknowledgment of the sacred lineage of perseverance, the passing of the torch from one guardian of legacy to another.

In Andre the Giant, we see the same thread of timelessness. His life was marked by paradox — a giant in stature, yet gentle in spirit. Revered by all who met him, Andre carried both the blessing and the burden of greatness. The folklore surrounding him — tales of his unmatched strength, his kindness, and his quiet loneliness — transformed him into more than a wrestler; he became a legend whose presence commanded universal respect. Cena draws a powerful parallel here: that The Undertaker, too, has achieved that rare state where the line between man and myth blurs. When one’s story becomes larger than life, when one’s name evokes both awe and affection, immortality is achieved.

The emotional essence of Cena’s words is humility — the recognition that greatness is not measured by fame, but by reverence earned over time. To revere another’s mastery is not to diminish oneself, but to honor the craft that binds all who share it. Cena’s reflection reminds us that respect is the highest form of acknowledgment among those who understand struggle. Only one who has walked the long road of discipline and pain can recognize another who has done the same. In this sense, his tribute to The Undertaker is also a meditation on the nature of legacy — that every era is built upon the shoulders of giants, and that the wise remember those who made the path possible.

The lesson we may take from these words is this: honor those who came before you, for in doing so, you honor the journey itself. The world moves quickly, forgetting its pioneers, its teachers, its heroes — yet every great work of art, every profession, every discipline rests upon those who gave their lives to it. Do not seek only to surpass the great; seek to understand them. Approach your craft with reverence, humility, and respect. And when the time comes for you to pass the torch, do so with grace, for the truest immortality lies not in fame, but in the influence you leave behind.

So let the words of John Cena ring through the ages: respect is the lifeblood of legacy. Those like The Undertaker and Andre the Giant remind us that greatness is not won in a single moment, but built over a lifetime of devotion. Their stories, like those of the heroes of old, will be told again and again — for such lives belong not only to themselves, but to all who draw strength from their example. And so, to every soul who walks the path of mastery, remember this ancient truth: a life lived with honor will echo forever.