Last Friday on "WWE SmackDown," John Cena shocked the wrestling world when he reenacted CM Punk's infamous pipe bomb from 2011 after his match with Ron Killings in the main event of the show. The Undisputed WWE Champion not only structured the promo similarly to Punk's from 14 years ago, but also proceeded to break the fourth wall, naming performers from other wrestling promotions such as Nic Nemeth, Claudio Castagnoli and Matt Cardona. Following the pipe bomb, WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross commented on the segment on his podcast"Grilling JR,"while also providing his thoughts on Cena's run as a heel thus far.
"Well, it's freshened John up. He's a little fresher, new coat of paint hall we say. I didn't see the promo live as it happened but from what I understand ... it was effective."
This Saturday, Cena will defend the world title against Punk at WWE Night Of Champions inRiyadh, Saudi Arabia, as both men goone-on-one for the first time in 12 years. This weekend will also mark the first time Punk will compete for a world championship on television since returning to WWE in 2023, with all of his title opportunities occurring on house shows so far. It will also be Cena's second title defence since stripping Cody Rhodes of the belt in the main event of WrestleMania 41 night two this past April.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Grilling JR" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
