It’s one of the great “what if” scenarios of the past two decades, a powerhouse dream match fans have fantasy-booked for years: John Cena vs. Goldberg. But for those expecting a story of backstage politics or creative roadblocks, the truth is much simpler. During a recent fan Q&A at FAN EXPO Boston, Cena pulled back the curtain on why the match never happened.
When asked why it never materialized in a WWE ring, Cena gave a blunt, business-like explanation: “Well… because nobody told me to. That’s the best answer I can give, you know?”
Rather than dwelling on the match that slipped away, Cena shifted the focus to gratitude for the career he’s had. “Instead of looking at life as ‘why haven’t I,’ I love to look at it like ‘I got to’ or ‘I get to.’ And I think that’s a good perspective to have.”
He admitted there were other dream opponents on his list, such as Andre the Giant and Steve Austin, but highlighted the world-class roster he did share the ring with. “Man, I’d have loved to wrestle Andre the Giant, Steve Austin—there’s a lot of folks on the list I would have loved to—but I also got to wrestle CM Punk, The Rock, AJ Styles, Seth Rollins, Edge… you name it.”
Cena’s reflection comes as he prepares for a final clash with one of his greatest rivals. This Saturday, September 20, he is set to face a returning Brock Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza 2025 in what is expected to be their last-ever match. The bout stands as a cornerstone of Cena’s farewell tour, with his retirement set for the end of the year.
Their rivalry is long-standing, with Lesnar holding a 4–2 edge in singles competition. Their last one-on-one meeting came over a decade ago at Night of Champions 2014, where Cena picked up a win via disqualification. With his career winding down, Cena’s attention is firmly on the battle ahead in Indianapolis, not on dream matches that never left the drawing board.