John Cena’s farewell tour has taken a dramatic turn. At Wrestlepalooza, he was decisively defeated by Brock Lesnar, and a new report reveals the outcome was Cena’s own request. Now, with his retirement run nearing its end, Cena has shifted focus to one final showdown with AJ Styles.
According to veteran journalist Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Cena personally requested to suffer a swift and decisive defeat at the hands of Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza. The plan for Lesnar to beat him in under ten minutes was part of Cena’s broader strategy to use his farewell run to elevate other stars. Meltzer explained, “John is very altruistic, and he knows that, on his way out, he wants to create people. He wants to create big stars. So he felt that this was… his decision. And that was his decision.”
While Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque ultimately has the final say in booking, Meltzer emphasized that Cena’s wishes carried decisive weight. “Many guys, when they are on their way out, their decision is to lose and promote the other guy. And that was John’s decision. At the end of the day, the decision is Paul Levesque’s, but if John says that, it’s not like Paul Levesque is going to say: ‘No, no, no, you have to win.’ Especially when Brock is the one who stays and he is the one who is leaving.”
Lesnar’s dominant victory marked his first match in over two years, re-establishing The Beast Incarnate as a top force on the roster. Meltzer speculated that such a decisive win demands a significant follow-up storyline: “They have to put him against Cody Rhodes, or someone like that, right? I mean, if you’re going to beat John Cena, (…) you have to prepare him for something big.”
Cena’s loss at Wrestlepalooza is another chapter in his farewell tour, which is expected to conclude by year’s end. His next appearance is scheduled for Crown Jewel in Perth, Australia, on October 11, though his opponent remains unannounced.
Beyond elevating talent, Cena has also set his sights on revisiting old rivalries. The 17-time world champion recently launched a public campaign for one last blockbuster encounter with AJ Styles.
The Phenomenal One officially responded, taking to Twitter to accept: “I hear them loud and clear. Let’s do it, I’m ready!” His reply confirmed eagerness for a high-stakes tie-breaker between the two icons.
The exchange began when Cena teased the bout on Monday before escalating on Tuesday with a direct challenge aimed at WWE management. Cena wrote, “I do not choose my opponents, but I (even through tough times) ALWAYS listen to the fans. @AJStylesOrg are you listening? Better yet @TripleH….. are YOU listening???” The post also included the hashtag #CenaVsStyles.
This public maneuver contradicts Levesque’s earlier portrayal of Cena’s retirement run as a “dream list” of hand-picked challengers. While WWE has yet to sanction the match, the rivalry’s history adds weight to the possibility. Styles defeated Cena at Money in the Bank and SummerSlam in 2016, while Cena evened the score by taking the WWE Championship at Royal Rumble 2017 and winning their most recent singles match on SmackDown in February 2018.
With Cena’s farewell run winding down and his next scheduled appearance at Crown Jewel on October 11, the window for this fan-demanded rubber match is closing. Meanwhile, Styles is booked for next week’s Raw, teaming with Dragon Lee against Los Americanos.