John Cena Promises to Take Down Brock Lesnar on Raw Before Their Wrestlepalooza Showdown

John Cena called himself as the first resident of Brock Lesnar's 'Suplex City' and promised to destroy 'The Beast' at Wrestlepalooza.

John Cena Promises to Take Down Brock Lesnar on Raw Before Their Wrestlepalooza Showdown

John Cena and Brock Lesnar (via WWE)

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The September 15th edition of Monday Night Raw aired live from John Cena’s home state of Massachusetts, just five days before his clash with Brock Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza. The show opened with Cena hitting the ring to deliver a heartfelt promo. Speaking to the hometown crowd, he reflected on his days as an offensive lineman at nearby Springfield College.

He joked that his name never made the papers because all he did was show up, get smashed, and come back for more. The 17-time World Champion acknowledged his family in attendance and even sent a birthday shout-out to his niece, who couldn’t be there. With the arena packed to capacity, Cena explained why he still insists on a special introduction before his matches. 

He explained that what began as a personal choice has become a way to connect and share energy with the fans. The phrase “the last real champion” means everything to him, and on Saturday, Lesnar wants to destroy that legacy. Cena praised ‘The Beast’ as intimidating, controversial, and nearly invincible. When a loud “F*ck you, Lesnar!” chant erupted, he laughed it off for the cameras and kept rolling.

Recalling Lesnar’s SummerSlam return, Cena admitted he could have said no to the challenge. With only six appearances left, walking away would have been the smart and safe choice. But as the crowd chanted “Thank you, Cena!”, he explained that being the last real champion wasn’t about belts or main events. It is about hustle, loyalty, respect, and never backing down.

Cena confessed that he was afraid of Lesnar, and he could very well fail. But he vowed he would never quit. Instead, he promised to take the fight straight to former 10-time title holder, framing it as a generational showdown: Brock Lesnar vs. The Last Real Champion, live on ESPN.

Closing with trademark bravado, Cena reminded fans that he was the first true victim of ‘Suplex City’ in their brutal SummerSlam 2014 match for the WWE World Heavyweight title. And after 20 years of surviving Lesnar’s best shots, he is still standing. “My jorts are stronger than Brock’s jeans,” Cena quipped while mocking Lesnar’s segment on SmackDown, before signing off with his iconic challenge: “If you want some, come get some!”

David Otunga expresses bitterness about The Nexus not being included in John Cena’s farewell tour

As John Cena’s retirement tour continues, it is now official that the 17-time World Champion will hang up his boots on December 13 later this year. Cena has openly admitted that with less than three months left, it won’t be possible to face every one of his iconic rivals from the past.

That’s why he has used recent matches to pay tribute, honoring the likes of Kurt Angle, AJ Styles, Cesaro, and Dolph Ziggler in his bouts at Clash in Paris and his last SmackDown, against Logan Paul and Sami Zayn, respectively. 

John Cena leading Team WWE to fight The Nexus
John Cena leading Team WWE to fight The Nexus (via WWE)

One of Cena’s most memorable rivalries, however, came in the summer of 2010 when he was attacked by The Nexus. For those unfamiliar, The Nexus was a faction of rookies from the first season of NXT who shook WWE to its core with their shocking debut invasion. Their momentum, though, was derailed at SummerSlam 2010 when they lost a 7-on-7 elimination match to Team WWE, led by Cena.

Former WWE Superstar David Otunga believes that The Nexus should reunite for one final act of retribution against Cena before he retires. Speaking on The F Y’all Podcast, the former Tag Team Champion reflected on the group’s dominant 2010 run and the infamous SummerSlam main event. 

We were the hottest thing running, and they knew that, and then it was so bad. The SummerSlam thing that was a disaster. We should have won that. That completely cut the legs out from under us. Everybody agreed, but one person – John Cena.

David Otunga via The F Y’all Podcast

With Cena now in the final stretch of his career, Otunga feels there is unfinished business. In his eyes, The Nexus deserves one last shot at payback:

I think it’s a travesty if he retires without the Nexus coming back to whoop his a*s. I think that’s what should happen. All of a sudden, who’s coming through the crowd? Who pops up on the ring? Boom, it’s payback. Here’s your receipt. Our receipt.

David Otunga via The F Y’all Podcast

Otunga still carries strong feelings about that outcome, which saw Cena stand tall as the sole survivor, and he places the blame squarely on one man. Stars like Chris Jericho and Edge also voiced their frustrations over the result of the 2010 match. 

While Cena was later forced to join the group under Wade Barrett’s leadership and was forced to be the special guest referee in Barrett’s bout against Randy Orton for the WWE Championship, the damage had already been done. The Nexus had lost all momentum by 2011, with no clear direction left to follow.

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