A potential marquee match for John Cena’s ongoing retirement tour will not be happening, as WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam revealed that a planned bout between them was scrapped. The anticipated contest was called off after Van Dam unfortunately suffered broken heels.
Speaking with TMZ Sports, the former WWE Champion detailed just how close the match was to becoming a reality. “I wanted to be one of the return matches for John Cena on his retirement tour. I was talking to them. There was a lot of interest,” RVD stated. “Without giving away too many details, we were probably gonna do it. And then I broke my heels.” (h/t Wrestletalk)
The news adds a significant “what if” to Cena’s final run, which is already set to conclude with a massive showdown against Brock Lesnar at WWE Wrestlepalooza on September 20. Cena is even scheduled to cut a final promo on the September 15 episode of Monday Night Raw to build anticipation for his clash with Lesnar, highlighting how few dates he has left.
A renewed RVD and Cena encounter would have been a nostalgic call back to their classic WWE Championship match at ECW One Night Stand in 2006. In that famously hostile environment, Van Dam managed to defeat Cena, creating an iconic moment in the careers of both men.
Their last time in a ring together was for a tag team match at a house show back in April 2014.