Kurt Angle Calls John Cena the Greatest of All Time but Rules out the Possibility of a Swansong

While the two have collided on multiple occassions, Kurt Angle reveals why a final match with John Cena is not possible in 2025.

Kurt Angle Calls John Cena the Greatest of All Time but Rules out the Possibility of a Swansong

John Cena and Kurt Angle (via WWE)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

John Cena and Kurt Angle’s WWE careers are closely intertwined, both tied to the start of the Ruthless Aggression Era. This period saw stars like The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin step back after dominating the company during the Attitude Era. Amid this transition, Angle, alongside Brock Lesnar, became the top act on SmackDown for several years. 

Into this mix stepped a jacked but relatively green Cena, who made a statement during his debut on the June 27th edition of SmackDown. That statement came in the form of a slap to Angle, leading to a match in which Cena ultimately lost, but it set the stage for what would become a legendary 25-year career. 

Now, with Cena less than three months away from retirement, fans are debating who should face him in his final run. Since January, Cena has squared off with major names like Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, and Randy Orton, and even turned heel earlier this year. His most recent outing came against Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza, where he was dominated in under ten minutes. 

Amid these events, many fans have called for Angle to return for a full-circle moment. However, a reunion doesn’t seem likely. During a recent appearance on Busted Open Radio, the Olympic gold medalist explained that he isn’t in a position to give Cena a final match. Still, Angle made it clear how highly he regards Cena.

I consider John the greatest of all time. You know, what he’s done for wrestling as a pioneer, as a spokesperson, as a champion, 17 world heavyweight titles, no one’s ever done that.

Kurt Angle via Busted Open Radio

Angle praised Cena’s remarkable longevity and durability, noting that, unlike many wrestling legends such as The Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Shawn Michaels, who all suffered injuries that forced them to step away, Cena has avoided serious setbacks throughout his career. 

He also highlighted Cena’s impact outside the ring, particularly his work with Make-A-Wish children, calling him a pioneer for the industry. Reflecting on their personal connection, Angle said he was honored to be Cena’s first match, describing it as a meaningful experience. However, he ruled out the possibility of a swansong with Cena. 

I wouldn’t have minded being John Cena’s last match – but there’s no way in hell I can get in that ring right now, so it’s not gonna happen. But it would have been pretty cool.

Kurt Angle via Busted Open Radio

A few weeks ago, during an appearance on The Undertaker’s Six Feet Under podcast, Angle opened up about the long-term effects of his numerous neck injuries. He revealed that he still experiences chronic pain in his hands and struggles with mobility, making a return to the ring impossible.

The last time Cena and Angle shared the ring was in 2017 at Survivor Series, where they faced each other as part of Team Raw vs. Team SmackDown. Angle’s team emerged victorious. Despite being a key figure in Cena’s rise in WWE, the two have not had a one-on-one singles match since the 2 January 2006 edition of Raw.

John Cena reacts to Edge’s heartfelt tribute at AEW All Out in Toronto

John Cena recently called Adam Copeland one of his wrestling soulmates, and it’s easy to see why. Fans of the Ruthless Aggression Era will always remember the legendary rivalry between Cena and Copeland. The erstwhile Edge was the perfect foil to Cena’s heroic persona, and their battles helped define an entire era.

Copeland made history at New Year’s Revolution 2006 by cashing in the first-ever Money in the Bank contract on Cena, who had just survived a punishing Elimination Chamber match. Their rivalry continued all year, including Cena handing Copeland his first-ever loss in a TLC match at Unforgiven and a triple threat at WrestleMania 25. These clashes cemented Copeland as one of Cena’s greatest rivals.

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

This past weekend, both men were in action in their respective promotions as AEW and WWE went head-to-head with their Wrestlepalooza and All Out events from Indianapolis and Toronto, respectively. As already stated, Cena faced Lesnar in the opening bout while Copeland teamed with Christian Cage to defeat FTR in a banger tag team match.

The AEW match ended dramatically when FTR attacked Copeland’s wife, Beth Phoenix, while he was handcuffed to the ropes. Despite the chaos, Copeland paid tribute to his longtime friend and rival. He hit Cash Wheeler with a ‘You Can’t See Me’ taunt, followed by the Five Knuckle Shuffle, and finished with an Attitude Adjustment, earning a massive ovation from the crowd.

The tribute mirrored a recent moment in WWE when Cena honored Copeland by using the spear in his match against Sami Zayn on SmackDown. Cena responded in kind, sharing a throwback photo on Instagram of Edge holding his custom Rated R Superstar WWE Championship, highlighting the mutual respect between the two legends.

Cena has already wrestled 13 matches this year. And with only five dates left on his schedule, Crown Jewel on October 11, Monday Night Raw on November 10 and 17, Survivor Series on November 29, and Saturday Night Main Event on December 13, fans are buzzing with speculation. The big question now is: who will be Cena’s final opponent before he retires at the end of the year?

Also read: