Thank You Cena – A tribute to John Cena’s historic run in WWE

So this is it. The Last Time Is Now. On Saturday, we will see John Cena wrestle for the final time. And while I agree that Cena should win—because GUNTHER really doesn’t need the victory—we all know that Cena will put him over on his way out. I could even see him actually tapping out to GUNTHER to put him over in a massive way. But that’s not the point of this column.

This is mostly a tribute to Cena’s historic run and his impact on an entire generation of fans.

When you look back at how he debuted, I’m not sure anyone would have predicted that he’d become one of the greatest draws of all time. In fact, even Vince McMahon didn’t see it, as he reportedly wanted to release him soon after that debut. And honestly, who could blame him? Cena started as a generic babyface in colored trunks, making intense faces while repeating “ruthless aggression.” Yet he had supporters behind the scenes and managed to keep his job.

Then, thanks to Stephanie McMahon, he had the chance to show his charisma through the rapper gimmick. Fans got behind it—so much so that they turned him babyface. The rocket was strapped to his back, and for the next 25 years, he never looked back.

During that era, he had several legendary feuds with guys like Randy Orton, Edge, CM Punk, Kurt Angle, and Brock Lesnar, just to name a few. He won a ton of championships and became the biggest draw in modern wrestling.

I have to say, I was lucky enough to see him wrestle many times. I even witnessed his epic “I Quit” match against Orton at Breaking Point. But nothing compares to seeing him live one last time this past August. That ovation felt as electric as when Hulk Hogan returned after WrestleMania 18. That’s how big of an attraction Cena was—and how much he meant to fans.

Now we get to see him perform one final time, and I’m glad it’s against GUNTHER. We know GUNTHER will give everything he has to make Cena’s last match a memorable one.

I just want to write, on behalf of everyone in the wrestling community—from those who loved him from the beginning to those who booed him in the middle but came back around—thank you, Cena, for all the incredible memories. I hope you find continued success in your movie career and everything else you choose to do outside of wrestling.