John Cena Reveals What He Admires About Current WWE Champion

John Cena Reveals What He Admires About Current WWE Champion

John Cena retired from professional wrestling in December 2025 after a nearly two-decade career in the WWE. In his final match, Cena tapped out to GUNTHER and bid farewell to in-ring action.

What happened?

During a recent interview with *Undisputed* at Fanatics Fest in New York City, Cena reflected on his match against CM Punk in 2011. The former World Champion said, **“That might have been like one of two matches that wrestling critics were like, ‘Eh, he’s okay. But it wasn’t because of him, it was because of the other guy.’ I think what that shows is when you have two names that span such a long test of time, it shows the individuals’ passion for what they do. If you’re not passionate about being in wrestling, you are weeded out quick. You might get a push to the top, you might get a chance, you might get a championship. If you’re not passionate, a 10-year career, a 15-year career, a 20-year career doesn’t happen.”**

Why it matters for John Cena

The Cenation Leader revealed what he admires about the current WWE Champion. Cena said, **“The fact we can talk about wrestling 15 years ago, and he’s got the championship and he’s main-eventing Madison Square Garden right now. Regardless of the trajectory that Phil Brooks (CM Punk) has been on-I wish he never took a break but that’s his personal journey and choice-his passion has obviously always been there, and it still is. And that’s the thing I admire most about him.”**

What comes next?

During the same interview, the retired wrestler disclosed which match was the toughest of his entire WWE career. John Cena said, **“I’d always say my next match was going to be my toughest, but that’s not true now that I’m retired. The toughest one was from the retirement tour against Brock Lesnar. The reason I say that isn’t just because it was physically demanding-any match with Brock is physically demanding. What was tough about that one is I’ve had my butt kicked by Brock Lesnar before, and you guys loved it. In Indianapolis, I got my butt kicked by Brock Lesnar and you hated it. So that made it physically and mentally tough. It was easily the toughest match of my career.”**

John Cena's comments offer a glimpse into his perspective on the current state of professional wrestling and what it takes to succeed in the industry. His admiration for the current WWE Champion is a testament to the dedication and passion required to achieve greatness in the sport.