John Cena, an American professional wrestler, actor, television host, philanthropist, and former rapper, was born on April 23, 1977. He is presently signed to WWE, where he works on both the Raw and Smackdown brands. He is widely regarded as one of the best professional wrestlers of all time. Cena, who was born and reared in West Newbury, Massachusetts, traveled to California in 1998 to pursue a bodybuilding career. When he debuted for Ultimate Pro Wrestling in 1999, he made his professional wrestling debut (UPW). In 2001, he joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE), and was assigned to Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). After assuming the persona of a trash-talking rapper, he rose to prominence in the WWE. In 2004, he won his first singles championship, the United States Championship. He won the WWE Championship for the first time the following year, and his character evolved into a clean-cut "Superman-like" hero. For the next decade, he served as the company's franchise player and public face.