John Cena is undoubtedly one of the greatest WWE performers who has earned the respect and appreciation he deserves from fans and the industry. The superstar has had some iconic matches that have defined him and his in-ring persona has become iconic. He and Ric Fair still hold the record for the most WWE world championships with 16 reigns each.
One of the most intense and entertaining storylines involving Cena was with Dwayne Johnson in the early 2010s. The two were taking jabs at each other but the feud turned personal when Cena criticized The Rock for favoring Hollywood more than the WWE. Looking back, Cena felt embarrassed by his selfish actions and apologized to both Johnson and his mom.
John Cena Took An Apology Tour After Messing Up His WWE Rivalry With Dwayne Johnson
John Cena was engaged in an intense WWE rivalry with Dwayne Johnson in 2012 and 2013. Leading up to WrestleMania 28 in 2012, Cena and Johnson threw jabs at each other to establish an intriguing feud that would crescendo into a main-event match at WrestleMania. However, Cena took it too far and included his personal vendetta against Johnson’s WWE hiatus from 2004 to 2011.
Cena has since expressed his regret for what he did. Although his words and their feud sold tickets and brought millions of audiences for their WrestleMania matches in 2012 and 2013, it strained the personal bond that they had. The Peacemaker star believed that he broke Johnson’s trust and his selfish and immature behavior caused a rift between them that he tried to mend.
In an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused Podcast, Cena revealed that after WrestleMania 28, he directly went to Johnson’s mom and apologized for any harm that his words may have caused her. He told her that his sole intention was to sell tickets and he regretted that it went too far. Cena similarly apologized to Johnson and realized that his perspective about him was wrong from the beginning. He said,
The first thing I did was I went to Dwayne’s mom and I gave her a big hug and I said, ‘I know you were brought up in this business, I hope you can understand my perspective because I said some bad things to make you feel bad about me, and I said some bad things about your son’. She forgave me right there. Not only did I hope he [understood] my perspective but, a year later, I knew that my perspective was wrong
Cena believes that he and Johnson could have planned and collaborated on their in-ring feud and discussed how to perfectly execute a rivalry that would sell tickets. Although their match became an iconic one, Cena feels guilty about making it all about himself and the business of it all that he failed to realize what he was doing wrong at the time.
John Cena Confirms There Will Be No Comeback Post his Retirement in 2025
John Cena announced recently that he would eb retiring at the end of 2025 and has booked 30-40 dates for that year (via ESPN). Unlike other WWE superstars like The Rock who have left/retired from the WWE twice in 2004 and 2019 and came back after some years, Cena declared that no amount of money would tempt him to come back after his retirement.
In a recent interview with Comicbook.com, Cena revealed that he dies not want to unnecessarily overstay his welcome in the WWE just for financial gain or to satisfy his ego. He meant what he said and December 2025 will indeed be his last time performing in the ring. Cena said,
There isn’t a check writer with enough money to change my mind when I hang it up in December. I don’t want to continue for ego or financial gain. I built a relationship of trust and authenticity over the years with the WWE, and that’s people who think I suck and people who believe in me, they know that I shoot them straight and I’m trustworthy. I mean what I say: when I’m done in December, I am done. It is the last time I will perform in a ring.
After coming back recently as the Final Boss, Johnson has no plans of retiring again as he told Cody Rhodes that he would be back for him. On the other hand, Cena is clear about his retirement plans and has no desire to extend his WWE appearances post 2025. The Peacemaker star will also go on a farewell tour named The Last Time is Now John Cena Farewell Tour next year.