Wrestling veteran Dutch Mantell has criticized the opening match between Brock Lesnar and John Cena at WWE’s inaugural Wrestlepalooza, calling it “boring.” Speaking on his Story Time with Dutch Mantell podcast, the former Zeb Colter expressed disappointment with the bout’s lack of excitement on September 20.
The match ended with Lesnar defeating the 17-time World Champion in nine minutes. The finish came after six consecutive F-5s, followed by a post-match attack on both Cena and the referee. “I did watch the John Cena and Lesnar match. You talk about boring,” Mantell said. “I mean, it was a straight up, what’s he call them, F-5s? He gave them four or five of them, and then he laid there, so what’s exciting about that?”
The one-sided booking was reportedly intentional. According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer, Cena himself requested the dominant loss as part of his farewell tour to re-establish Lesnar as a top attraction. While Paul Levesque had the final decision, he is said to have honored Cena’s wishes.
The approach echoed their SummerSlam 2014 main event, where Lesnar overwhelmed Cena with 16 German Suplexes in a similarly decisive victory.
Lesnar’s win at Wrestlepalooza, his first match in over two years, appears to be part of long-term planning. WrestleVotes Radio reported that he is internally scheduled for both the 2026 Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 42. Additional reports from Bodyslam suggest Bron Breakker has been discussed as a possible opponent for Lesnar in Las Vegas.
Meanwhile, Cena’s farewell tour continues abroad. His next confirmed match is against AJ Styles at Crown Jewel in Perth, Australia, on October 11, following Styles’ acceptance of his challenge on social media on September 24, 2025.