John Cena Admits the Failure of His Heel Run Ahead of Retirement Match in December 2025

Ahead of his final WWE match on 13th December, John Cena got candid about the lukewarm nature of his heel run in early 2025.

John Cena Admits the Failure of His Heel Run Ahead of Retirement Match in December 2025

John Cena, The Rock and Travis Scott (via WWE)

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After ruling as WWE’s top babyface from 2003 to 2025, few could have imagined John Cena ever turning to the dark side. But that’s exactly what happened at Elimination Chamber 2025, when he shocked the world by joining forces with The Rock and Travis Scott to brutally attack Cody Rhodes. The heel turn led to Cena headlining WrestleMania 41, where he captured his record-breaking 17th World Championship.

However, the glory came with a heavy price. What was promoted as one of WWE’s most ambitious main events quickly soured when Dwayne Johnson failed to appear at the show. To make matters worse, Scott’s interference fell flat, leaving the historic finish feeling underwhelming and robbing Cena’s achievement of its intended impact.

Things didn’t improve afterward. Cena’s recent bout against Brock Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza was widely criticized, with fans calling it confusing and uninspired. Lesnar’s sudden return at SummerSlam, despite his controversial history, stunned audiences, but his dominant performance over Cena only added to the frustration.

All of this appears to have taken a toll on Cena. During a recent appearance at Fan Expo Chicago, the 17-time world champion took full responsibility for how his heel run played out, admitting the experiment didn’t go as planned. Still, he urged fans to focus on the present and enjoy what remains of his final WWE chapter. 

I just know I failed. Ain’t nothing wrong with that. You can learn from failure, right? I went out there and bombed. Sh*t happens, guys.

John Cena via Fan Expo Chicago

During the exchange, Cena encouraged the fan to finish his question, which asked how he would have explained his heel turn if The Rock had not been involved in the storyline. Cena responded thoughtfully, saying that the question essentially asked what different choices he would make in a hypothetical scenario. 

He then explained that hindsight is a waste of time, emphasizing that he prefers to focus on the present moment. He said there would be time to revisit it after his retirement. For now, Cena wants to focus on his remaining farewell tour dates, which include a nostalgic clash with AJ Styles at Crown Jewel this weekend, and his retirement match at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13 in the nation’s capital. 

Let’s live right here and now in the excitement and adventure. I think I’ll be able to talk about all this bupkus in January after the whole thing is over. But we’ve taken the audience on a on a hell of a ride this year. We still got a ways left to go, so I’m excited about that.

John Cena via Fan Expo Chicago

For those unaware, the 17-time world champion made his return to his babyface roots on the August 1 episode of SmackDown, just two days before his Undisputed WWE Championship rematch against Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam. 

Since then, his run has shown noticeable improvement compared to his earlier stint. It will be interesting to see if WWE can iron out some of the earlier missteps as he enters the final stretch of his legendary career.

John Cena talks about CM Punk’s departure in 2014 and their rivalry

John Cena recently reflected on his storied rivalry with CM Punk, admitting that he wishes his longtime rival hadn’t left WWE back in 2014. Punk’s departure came after a series of health issues, creative frustrations, and tensions with management, leading him to walk out following the Royal Rumble and be officially released later that year.

John Cena and CM Punk
John Cena and CM Punk (via WWE)

A decade later, Punk made a shocking return to WWE at Survivor Series: WarGames in 2023 in Chicago, receiving one of the loudest crowd reactions in recent memory. His rivalry with Cena is still remembered as one of the best of the 17-time world champion’s career, and will officially come to an end on December 13th.

Speaking at Fan Expo Chicago, Cena opened up about their history and praised ‘The Best in the World’ for his passion for pro wrestling. Cena explained that he felt disappointed about the lost opportunities for more matches and moments with Punk, but remained thankful for the ones they did share. 

For some reason, we kind of found each other and found each other at the right time, and man, I wish I could have kept him with us. I wish he didn’t have to take all that time off because we could have had some more matches, but I’m grateful for the moments we’ve had. And I think that I think we just, we both want to sit in front. We both really love the business.

John Cena via Fan Expo Chicago

Their iconic rivalry peaked at Money in the Bank 2011 in Chicago, one of the greatest main events and storylines in WWE history. Every time Punk and Cena stepped into the ring together, they delivered something special. Their rivalry continued well beyond 2012, especially after the Second City Saint turned heel and aligned himself with Paul Heyman. 

The two recently clashed multiple times in 2025 at the Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, and Night of Champions,  producing unforgettable bouts for the WWE Championship. Their promos during that period also helped rejuvenate Cena’s heel character, showcasing some of the best mic work of his career.

Now, a decade later, Punk is enjoying one of the best runs of his life and has become a positive influence in WWE since returning to the company two years ago.

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