WWE Blasted For Botching John Cena’s Retirement Tour
An actor who has been involved in professional wrestling has heavily criticized WWE for John Cena’s retirement tour.
The final year of John Cena’s run as an active WWE superstar has less than three months left. It’s been a turbulent time for the WWE icon since he failed to win the Royal Rumble, then he won the Elimination Chamber and shockingly turned heel the same night. While the heel turn was massive, many people immediately wondered if it was the right move since it was Cena’s last year.
Cena’s heel run lasted for about five months, during which he captured a record-breaking 17th WWE World Title. However, the matches he had were not particularly great, and often had finishes that were deemed cheap.
By the time SummerSlam rolled around, John Cena ditched the heel persona, went back to his usual self, and had a classic match with Cody Rhodes while losing the WWE Title. Cena also had another classic match with Logan Paul at Clash in Paris, which showed that Cena could still go in the ring.
At Wrestlepalooza, Brock Lesnar destroyed John Cena in about ten minutes in what was likely the last match between two men who trained together in OVW in 2000, two years before they became regulars on WWE TV.
Paul Walter Hauser is an actor and professional wrestling personality who has appeared at WWE shows and also wrestled in other venues. Hauser is also an Executive Producer in MLW. While appearing on TMZ’s Inside The Ring, Hauser complained about WWE owners TKO Group butchering Cena’s final run.
“It’s their book. It’s TKO. Man, I think it’s TKO. They’re butchering it. Some people think that TKO is the one that is calling the shots, like executives that are making and pulling the strings, like Triple H is not the one officially making the decisions for who his opponents will be.”
As for what he would do, Hauser had some suggestions.
“I think it would have been nice if John Cena’s farewell tour included a great mesh of prior opponents that have known him 20 years, and future stars who could use the rub.
I would have loved to have seen Cena fight people like The Miz. I think The Miz is better than people give him credit for… but I would have loved to see Cena fight Jericho, The Miz, Sheamus, Triple H.”
A Cena-Triple H match was unlikely because Triple H retired a few years ago due to a heart issue, and Jericho is still under contract with AEW, so that’s unlikely as well.
Regarding the Lesnar-Cena match, Hauser contemplated the possibility of Lesnar as Cena’s final opponent.
“Brock, win and beat Brock… If his last match is Brock and he’s like, ‘I have to beat this guy.’ Oh my God.” (H/t Wrestlingnewsco)
John Cena Has Five More Appearances Left On WWE Retirement Tour
Next up for John Cena is a match against AJ Styles at the Crown Jewel PLE this Saturday, October 11th, in Perth, Australia. It will be Cena’s final match in Australia.
- October 11: Crown Jewel, Perth, Australia
- November 10: WWE RAW, Boston, Massachusetts
- November 17: WWE RAW, New York City
- November 29: Survivor Series: WarGames, San Diego, California
- December 13: Retirement match in Washington, D.C.
December 13th is the date of John Cena’s final match at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, D.C.. The opponent of the 48-year-old Cena is not yet known, but many names have been suggested, and that won’t stop until the match actually takes place.
The next WWE PLE is Crown Jewel, scheduled for October 11th. Here’s the lineup so far.
* Men’s Crown Jewel Championship: Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins
* Women’s Crown Jewel Championship: WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton vs. Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer
* John Cena vs. AJ Styles
* Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky vs. Kabuki Warriors – Asuka & Kairi Sane
Roman Reigns is likely to be in a match on the show as well, with Bronson Reed as his opponent.