There was a collective gasp across the professional wrestling world when John Cena introduced he’d embark on a Farewell Tour in 2025 earlier than formally retiring from in-ring competitors. Eight months later, the unimaginable occurred when one of many largest babyfaces in professional wrestling turned heel on the Street to WrestleMania 41.
John Cena has the possibility to develop into the first-ever 17-time world champion when he challenges Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship on the Present of Exhibits on Sunday (April 20, 2025). He has been in eleven Mania matches with gold on the road and was topped champion on six events.
The ‘Biggest of All-Time’ has challenged a few of the largest stars in WWE historical past, together with The Rock, Randy Orton, Triple H and Edge, however maybe his most entertaining feud got here in 2010.
John Cena Had Mountain To Climb At WrestleMania 26
The chances have been stacked in opposition to him
John Cena was on the peak of his reputation within the late 2000s and early 2010s and propelled into the position of WWE’s poster boy. A piece of the fanbase had grown uninterested in seeing ‘Tremendous Cena’ consistently stay on high, however he was the PG period’s reply to Hulk Hogan.
The 47-year-old had sided with Bret Hart in his spat with Vince McMahon on the Street to WrestleMania 26, a choice that proved pricey. The WWE Chairman made the Cenation Chief’s life a residing hell, particularly after Cena received an Elimination Chamber to reclaim the WWE Championship from Sheamus.
McMahon launched Batista as Cena’s last opponent in a singles match akin to a Cash within the Financial institution cash-in. The Animal took little time defeating a battered and bruised Cena to steal the title controversially.
John Cena requested for a rematch at Mania, which McMahon agreed to, though Batista deliberately disqualified himself by kicking his foe within the groin. Their title match on the Showcase of the Immortals on the College of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, was finally arrange.
Their match was what you’d count on from two of WWE’s largest stars of the PG period, with Batista dominating the primary half of the match earlier than a Cena comeback. The latter locked within the STF, and the Animal tapped out with its title, altering arms.
Batista’s Verdict On John Cena’s Farewell Tour
The Animal most popular the way in which he retired
Batista’s WWE profession wound down after this, and he ‘give up’ after failing to win again the title from Cena at Excessive Guidelines and Over the Restrict. He returned twice for transient tales involving Daniel Bryan and Evolution preventing The Protect earlier than retiring at WrestleMania 35 in 2019 after shedding to Triple H in a No-Holds-Barred Match.
Like Cena, the 56-year-old moved on to Hollywood, the place he is develop into one of many largest successes after swapping the squared circle for the pink carpet. He spoke glowingly of his former Mania rival throughout an interview with Chris Van Vliet in September 2024:
“I get together with John. I respect John quite a bit. Much more than folks suppose I do for some purpose. I believe the web and followers have constructed this rivalry between us, which, there, actually isn’t.”
Batista’s retirement wasn’t pre-announced because it was Triple H whose profession was ‘on the road’ at Mania. He prompt he would not be focused on equally holding a Farewell Tour like Cena is doing:
“That is how we’re completely different. I might by no means do that. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t really feel it might really feel disingenuous to me to go round, however the place I see his level, the place he desires to go round and he desires to personally thank all of the followers, however there’s simply one thing in me the place I couldn’t do it. (It) would really feel uncomfortable to me, like accolades really feel uncomfortable to me, like I might by no means be the kind of babyface who was saying good things as a result of I needed to get the group to cheer for me, Like I couldn’t be that man.”
Whereas Batista acknowledged Cena’s intent to sail off into the sundown by thanking followers, he was completely happy to retire within the method he did:
“I like and respect what he’s doing along with his entire tour, to say, you already know, thanks to the followers, however we’re simply completely different that means, like I couldn’t do it. I went out the way in which I needed. I retired the way in which I needed. I don’t wish to make an enormous deal out of it. I introduced my retirement on Instagram, you already know, and I knew I used to be going to do it. I simply didn’t wish to inform anyone I used to be going to do it as a result of I didn’t need anyone to say, no, no, you bought to come back in. You must give a speech, you already know, to the followers, and I don’t know, simply one thing about it might have felt false to me. And I couldn’t do it. “
John Cena vs Batista Rivalry
PPV Singles Matches:
Summerslam 2028, WrestleMania 26, Excessive Guidelines 2010, Over the Restrict 2010
John Cena Victories:
3
Batista Victories:
1
Championships Held:
World Tag Staff Championships
Greatest Match:
Final Man Standing Match at Excessive Guidelines 2010
Greatest Second:
Batista “explains” why John Cena and himself are ‘completely different’.
Batista and Cena’s WWE careers maintain enormous similarities, from their begins in OVW alongside Randy Orton and Brock Lesnar to reaching the head of professional wrestling by successful the world titles at WrestleMania 21. They even unintentionally drew a Royal Rumble match in 2005, which is telling of the equal timing of their meteoric rises.
All knowledge courtesy of Cagematch – right as of 14/04/2025.
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