Travis Scott is immortalized in wrestling history after debut in-ring appearance with John Cena

Always adjacent to one another in pop culture, pro wrestling and hip-hop once again crossed over on Saturday night in what will likely enter WWE history as one of the most unexpected moments in the sport. John Cena — a household name and role model to many — has finally turned heel, teaming up with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to secure himself a record breaking 17th WWE championship. Along with the pair, a special partner in the “nWo-”style faction was present in the ring: Cactus Jack. 

However, it wasn’t Mick Foley’s “Cactus Jack” character who stepped into the ring at Toronto’s Rogers Centre but rather Travis Scott, who has partnered with the pro wrestling behemoth since late last year. It happened after hall-of-fame WWE superstar and current head of creative Triple H crashed the rapper’s ComplexCon set and gave him his very own Hardcore Champion title belt. Scott’s number 1 charting single “4x4” also served as the theme music for the WWE’s weekly “Monday Night Raw,” and the Houston-native was in house for the show’s massive Netflix premiere in Los Angeles. 

Scott, who joined The Rock for his entrance walk, burned sage in the ring and even got a hit in on WWE champion Cody Rhodes, who was attacked by both Scott and Cena. 

While it’s likely this is the biggest WWE moment hip-hop has been a part of, it’s certainly not the first. Snoop Dogg is such a mainstay during WWE events that it's landed him a permanent spot in the WWE Hall of Fame. Bad Bunny, a self admitted fan of the brand, has held a WWE title and has made multiple appearances since 2021. In 2000, the WWE even had an entire album of remix songs titled “WWF Aggression,” featuring entrance remixes by Run D.M.C., Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Snoop Dogg, Redman, and more. 

As pro wrestling enters mainstream appeal not seen since the late '90s, it’s likely that we'll see these crossovers more and more. WWE has already made an impact on popular culture expo ComplexCon and has collaborated with one of the biggest musical festivals in the country, Rolling Loud. The WWE also continues to embrace hip-hop culture and invites artists like Wale and Westside Gunn — who both reference wrestling in their music — to perform and attend events in person. 

Scott’s next card appearance with the sports entertainment company is unknown, but he seems to be positioned as a serious player in Cena and the Rock’s heel faction. It’s unclear whether or not Scott will decide to throw more than a slap in the ring, but reports say there's plans for him to be a major player in-lore since the beginning of this year, and he's been training for a full-fledged match in the coming future.