Veteran wrestling mind Konnan is not holding back when it comes to how John Cenas farewell run played out in WWE.
On a recent episode of his Keepin It 100 podcast, Konnan shared his frustrations with the creative direction behind Cenas retirement arc, calling it confusing, underwhelming, and ultimately a misread of what fans actually wanted. Referencing Cenas late-career singles losses including defeats to Dominik Mysterio and Gunther Konnan said:
Konnan believes WWE missed a major opportunity to give fans a true emotional payoff during Cenas final stretch. Instead of a celebration, he felt the audience was left watching a slow decline.
Watching Cena lose match after match undermined the emotional payoff, Konnan said, arguing that sellout crowds didnt show up to see the 16-time world champion go out on his back over and over again.
While Konnan acknowledged that Cena may have willingly embraced the losses to leave behind a reputation of giving back especially after years of criticism for holding others down he didnt agree with how it was handled.
He also didnt spare Cenas early retirement promos, labeling them overly familiar and lacking originality. According to Konnan, WWE got too cute with the creative direction and tried too hard to subvert fan expectations. The result? Confusion, not impact.
Despite the criticism, Konnan praised Cenas professionalism and willingness to play ball with creative decisions even if they, in his opinion, damaged the legacy WWE should have been celebrating.
Reports have indicated that both Cena and Triple H were hands-on in deciding the final moments of his career, including the booking of his last match. But Konnans view remains firm: a retirement tour should send a legend out with pride, not as a stepping stone for others without a meaningful payoff.
Do you agree with Konnan? Should Cenas final matches have been booked differently, or did WWE get it right by letting him go out giving back? Let us know your thoughts below.
