John Cena Sr. Praises His Son and AJ Styles for Their Iconic Showdown at WWE Crown Jewel in Perth

Nearly a month following their final showdown at Crown Jewel, John Cena and AJ Styles gain another fan in the form of Cena's father.

John Cena Sr. Praises His Son and AJ Styles for Their Iconic Showdown at WWE Crown Jewel in Perth

John Cena and AJ Styles at Crown Jewel [via- WWE]

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It is no secret that John Cena and AJ Styles were the driving forces behind WWE and TNA’s success during their respective peaks. While Cena became the face of the Stamford-based company, Styles was the heart and soul of TNA, the man who helped establish it as a true alternative to Vince McMahon’s wrestling empire.

And at Crown Jewel on October 11 in Perth, the two legends collided once again in a match that stole the show as part of Cena’s farewell tour. Their bout was a near 30-minute masterpiece filled with callbacks and tributes to their storied pasts and iconic rivals. Cena incorporated signature moves from former opponents like Bray Wyatt, Chris Jericho, The Undertaker, and The Miz. 

While Styles paid homage to Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels, Sting, and Shawn Michaels. The contest added another chapter to their already celebrated trilogy of matches from 2016 and 2017, which includes their classics at Money in the Bank, SummerSlam, and Royal Rumble. 

Now, amid the widespread praise for the bout, John Cena Sr. has shared his thoughts on what many are calling an instant classic. In a recent interview with Sportskeeda’s WrestleBinge, Cena Sr. commented on the duo’s impending retirements and their classic in Perth. 

They read their crowd, and they performed to what the crowd wanted. They didn’t stop, they listened, and when they did, they just went, ‘Bang, bang, bang.’ They worked so well together… I said, John, it was phenomenal.

John Cena Sr. via Sportskeeda’s WrestleBinge

He went on to express how the wrestling world is approaching a bittersweet moment as both legends near the end of their careers. 

John, Styles, and the rest of those people in this business, I can’t praise them enough, they always gave 250%. It’s a point now where they can’t go 250. Might go 175. Two great men. Styles is all done next year. That’s gonna be another sad day in wrestling, because we’re losing another great performer, somebody who understands the business.

John Cena Sr. via Sportskeeda’s WrestleBinge

For the unversed, Cena is set to officially retire at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13. His final opponent will be decided through the Last Time Is Now Tournament, which kicks off next week on Raw in Boston with two opening-round matches.

As for Styles, ‘The Phenomenal One’ has announced plans to retire in 2026. He explained his decision during the Crown Jewel: Perth kickoff show and even had his farewell appearance in Japan during WWE’s recent Supershow in the country.

WWE drops a potential easter egg regarding John Cena’s final match

After weeks of anticipation, it is finally official: the details of how John Cena’s final opponent will be determined have been revealed. During the November 1st edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event, the 17-time World Champion appeared in a pre-recorded video message to make a major announcement. 

John Cena and Edge at Unforgiven 2006
John Cena and Edge at Unforgiven 2006 (via WWE)

He revealed that a 16-man tournament will decide who earns the honor of facing him in his farewell match on December 13th in Washington, D.C. The tournament, aptly titled ‘The Last Time Is Now,’ will kick off on the November 10th episode of RAW in Cena’s hometown of Boston, marking his third-to-last WWE appearance.

According to Cena, the participants will be selected at random, featuring a mix of wrestlers from RAW, SmackDown, NXT, and even some potential surprise names from outside WWE. During the announcement, short clips of Penta, Carmelo Hayes, Gunther, Rusev, Dominik Mysterio, and Bronson Reed were shown, hinting at possible entrants.

Rumors are already swirling about Cena’s upcoming matches. Reports suggest he may face Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship at Survivor Series on November 29th in San Diego, and possibly Gunther in his retirement bout.

However, fans believe WWE may have something even bigger planned: the return of Cena’s most iconic rival, Edge. Fueling speculation, WWE Vault recently dropped a nearly two-hour video titled ‘Story of John Cena vs. Edge | Rivalry History (2002–10),’ just as rumors of the Canadian star’s comeback began circulating.

While there’s been no confirmation, fans have pointed out that the company used similar tactics earlier this year, posting content about Brock Lesnar’s top SummerSlam matches just before his surprise return. If history repeats itself, this latest upload could be a subtle hint: an Easter egg of what’s to come in the next 40 days.

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