Former WWE head writer Vince Russo has questioned the drawing power of the upcoming John Cena vs. AJ Styles match, scheduled for the Crown Jewel premium live event on October 11 in Perth, Australia. Speaking on The Coach & Bro show, Russo argued that while the bout will deliver in-ring quality, it does not qualify as a box-office attraction.
“Man, if I only did 40,000 subs with the first PLE, AJ Styles and John Cena is not my next PLE, Coach. I’m sorry. That is not box office. That is a great, solid wrestling match. [But] that is not a must-see wrestling match. So again, I can’t see that drawing a huge number in the United States,” Russo said.
The match was officially confirmed by WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H on September 23. According to Dave Meltzer, the contest was always intended for the card, with the recent storyline uncertainty deliberately designed to heighten anticipation and increase fan interest.
The narrative centered on Cena’s limited retirement tour schedule, framing the bout as in jeopardy. This kayfabe element featured social media posts from Cena requesting the match, along with an off-air promo from Styles on Raw voicing his frustration with current booking.
Their meeting in Perth will act as a tiebreaker in a rivalry that delivered several acclaimed matches between 2016 and 2018. The two are currently tied at 2-2 in singles competition, with one of their most memorable encounters taking place at the 2017 Royal Rumble, where Cena defeated Styles to capture his record-tying 16th world championship.
Following Crown Jewel, Cena’s retirement tour is set to continue with two Raw appearances in November, an appearance at Survivor Series on November 29, and a final scheduled match on December 13.