So many interactions from John Cena's farewell tour this year will be seen as teachable moments for other wrestlers and their creative directors in the future. While many are on the fence about how "The Last Real Champion's" retirement showcase went this year, including his own father, Mr. Cena, only John can explain it from his own experience of leading the Cenation for 23 years. In his first sit-down interview since retiring, John breaks his silence on every pivotal moment of his retirement, from the sentimental aftermath of his inevitable retirement announcement, to breaking up with us, to rekindling our relationship with him, to watching him close the book on his career with a tap out, criticism on how creative booked it all has made its rounds throughout. But the "Never Give Up" expounder doesn't want you to look at WWE's creative team in a bad light.
"We all have our own way of doing it. And what I love about the past year is so many people have been critical about so many moments and blamed it on this 'fictitious' book, or like, creative direction. This always happens," Cena noted on Cody Rhodes' podcast, "What Do You Wanna Talk About." "In my 23 years of time under tension, creative has changed so many times. That is the nature of the business. It is also okay for us to say we have a lot of eyes, we want to make a moment because we don't know... You can't tell if someone's gonna run with it."
Taking Rhodes and his listeners down what he calls a "hypothetical street," Cena explains how creative booking, if it hadn't produced what it did this year for "The Never Seen 17," might have left some of his last ever-in-a-lifetime matches flat, or worse. For example, he uses his match at the Elimination Chamber, where his ultimate heel turn took place this past March.
"Let's say everyone that showed up at the Chamber is active until August. That robs us of John Cena -Randy Orton. That robs us of John Cena CM Punk, John Cena Ron Cena, John Cena AJ Styles, John Cena Logan Paul, me and you [Rhodes] for the last time, mano-a-mano," he explained. "So, yes, the story that might have been, might have had star power and gravity, and who knows what. ... I'm not trying to change anybody's mind. Again, I've released art into the world, and they can think how they want about it."
While his time as an in-ring wrestler is up, his time as WWE's newest ambassador is now. The flagbearer appears to be excited to help the next generation of stars formulate their prototype roots, as he once did.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "What Do You Wanna Talk About" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
