Throughout his WWE retirement tour, followers have grown accustomed to John Cena’s ring introduction — each as a face and a heel. However for his ultimate match at Crown Jewel with long-time rival AJ Kinds, there was a surprisingly detailed introduction for his opponent.
The pair had met 4 instances in televised one-on-one competitors previous to Crown Jewel this previous weekend. And apparently, their head-to-head was all sq. at 2-2, with their ultimate encounter offering a tiebreaker for the rivalry. Cena and Kinds final confronted one another on the 2017 Royal Rumble, the place Cena was victorious, successful his record-equalling sixteenth world championship within the course of.
However as they ready to do battle one final time in entrance of a rabid crowd in Perth, Australia, Cena handed a handwritten be aware to ring announcer Alicia Taylor, evoking a confused expression.
As Taylor started to talk into her microphone, that confusion rapidly unfold to Kinds. The introduction appeared to return as a whole shock to the two-time WWE Champion, because it made reference to his accomplishments each inside and outdoors WWE.
If AJ regarded bowled over by the transfer, that is as a result of he reportedly was. In line with Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline, ‘The Phenomenal One’ had “no thought” that the introduction was coming. Heartwarmingly, Alvarez additionally confirmed that Cena genuinely did write the introduction himself.
AJ Kinds’ Ring Introduction at Crown Jewel Contained Quite a few Distinctive References
“The definition of Whole Non-Cease Motion,” started Taylor, as Cena led the applause in tandem with the Australian crowd. “The ace and undisputed boss of the Bullet Membership. And our honour as followers, and my honour as an opponent, to see if he can beat up John Cena one ultimate time. He’s the face that runs the place, ‘The Phenomenal’ AJ Kinds.”
Kinds drank within the applause from Cena and the dwell viewers, however he was additionally clearly shocked by the depth of the introduction’s reference, audibly reacting to the point out of the Bullet Membership. Kinds was the second chief of the Bullet Membership in Japanese wrestling promotion NJPW, taking up from Prince Devitt, aka Finn Balor, in 2014 when he left the corporate to affix WWE.
Equally to Hulk Hogan’s NWO in WCW, the Bullet Membership’s rebellious rejection of Japanese wrestling custom was successful globally with wrestling followers. Regardless of being a villainous secure, their reputation led to the Bullet Membership members being cheered like babyfaces. Notable previous members embrace the likes of Cody Rhodes, ‘Hangman’ Adam Web page, and Kenny Omega, and such was the affect of Kinds, the secure continues to be a outstanding piece of the worldwide wrestling panorama at this time.
Cena Paid Tribute to Quite a few Previous WWE Rivals in His Crown Jewel Conflict With AJ Kinds
Past the introduction, the match itself handled followers to an unimaginable quantity of Easter eggs and references from the pair’s historic feud. In addition to performing one another’s finishers in the course of the match, each Cena and Kinds drew inspiration from iconic previous rivals and allies to attempt to safe the victory.
Cena first hit Kinds with a Cranium Crushing Finale, courtesy of one other long-time rival — The Miz. This was rapidly adopted by a Partitions of Jericho submission. Surprisingly, commentator Michael Cole talked about Chris Jericho in the course of the match regardless of his long-term tenure with rival promotion AEW. This can little question add to the rumours that Y2J could also be set to make a shock return to WWE upon the expiry of his present AEW deal.
Arguably, the spotlight of this cluster of references got here when Cena countered Kinds’ Phenomenal Forearm right into a Sister Abigail, a lot to the delight of the Perth crowd. The Sister Abigail finisher was utilized by the late Bray Wyatt, who feuded with Cena extensively all through 2014, in addition to defeating him at WrestleMania 36 in 2020 within the notorious Firefly Funhouse match. Wyatt sadly handed away in 2023, and the Crown Jewel viewers paid tribute to him with the fireflies show following Cena’s use of the Sister Abigail finisher.
However simply when followers thought that this match of the 12 months contender was drawing to a detailed, it continued to captivate with additional tributes to WWE stars previous and current. Cena paid homage to Randy Orton following their ultimate encounter at Backlash earlier this 12 months, hitting Kinds with a Hangman DDT and an RKO. Cena very almost landed a devastating Punt Kick, however Kinds was in a position to keep away from the diabolical finisher.
Subsequent up was the Undertaker. Trying his personal model of the 5 Knuckle Shuffle, Kinds was countered right into a Choke Slam by a resurgent Cena. The Undertaker, and Cena’s rival Huge Present, each put away numerous opponents with this explicit ending transfer.
As for Kinds, who himself is about to retire in some unspecified time in the future in 2026, his tributes got here from a bit nearer to dwelling. AJ made his identify in TNA, establishing himself as one of many all-time greats throughout his run on the firm in the course of the 2000s and 2010s. All through the match, Kinds paid homage to a lot of his outdated TNA rivals, hitting a Scorpion Loss of life Drop (Sting), a quick Coquina Clutch (Samoa Joe), and Frankie Kazarian’s Useless Eye. Kinds additionally managed to tune up the band for a rendition of Shawn Michaels’ Candy Chin Music.
However the finisher that united the rivals in the course of the match was Kinds’ try at Angels Wings. Utilized by his long-time rival Christopher Daniels in TNA, Daniels additionally skilled Cena earlier than he was signed by WWE. Cena additionally used Angels Wings throughout his Conflict in Paris encounter with Logan Paul.
Maybe probably the most telling reference of all, although, was Cena’s try at a 619. The acrobatic transfer, made well-known by Rey Mysterio, and adopted by his son, ‘Soiled’ Dominik Mysterio, may have revealed certainly one of Cena’s ultimate two opponents. Laying Kinds out on the center rope, the previous TNA star was in a position to get better rapidly sufficient to cease Cena earlier than he tried the transfer. And with rumours of a match with Soiled Dom refusing to go away, a countered 619 could also be a touch that Cena can be difficult the Intercontinental Champion earlier than he hangs up his boots in December.
This unimaginable match and rivalry lastly got here to a detailed with one other Undertaker reference and Cena’s personal Angle Adjustment. Plucking Kinds out of midair, Cena delivered a Tombstone Piledriver earlier than seamlessly rolling into an AA to shut the ebook on the Phenomenal One.
Embracing within the ring after the ultimate bell, the match was an unimaginable closing chapter to certainly one of skilled wrestling’s nice trendy rivalries.
