WWE is facing another wave of criticism following Wrestlepalooza, where Brock Lesnar destroyed John Cena in a shocking match.
Many fans voiced frustration online, calling the decision disrespectful to Cena’s farewell run (see below).
The backlash comes as WWE is already under heavy fire for recent price hikes and the controversial WrestleMania Saudi Arabia announcement.
Cena Responds to the Fans
Cena took to social media to make his stance clear.
“I do not choose my opponents, but I (even through tough times) ALWAYS listen to the fans. @AJStylesOrg are you listening? Better yet @TripleH ….. are YOU listening??? #CenaVsStyles” he tweeted.
I do not choose my opponents, but I (even through tough times) ALWAYS listen to the fans.@AJStylesOrg are you listening?
— John Cena (@JohnCena) September 23, 2025
Better yet @TripleH ….. are YOU listening???#CenaVsStyles https://t.co/BNspbeUxXd
In a follow-up post, Cena thanked fans and credited them for making his next match possible:
“I want to thank @TripleH for being flexible here and rewarding the true driving force behind #CenavsStyles … the FANS! 2 posts over 10m views and so many of you let yourself be heard! #WWECrownJewel Perth and @AJStylesOrg you will get my everything. Listening to our audience is ALWAYS what’s BEST for business! I am forever grateful to you all for choosing my next opponent. LFG!!” said Cena.
I want to thank @TripleH for being flexible here and rewarding the true driving force behind #CenavsStyles .. the FANS! 2 posts over 10m views and so many of you let yourself be heard! #WWECrownJewel Perth and @AJStylesOrg you will get my everything. Listening to our audience is…
— John Cena (@JohnCena) September 23, 2025
Contrast With Triple H’s Comments
The tweets mark a noticeable contrast with what Paul “Triple H” Levesque said following SummerSlam. At the time, WWE’s Chief Content Officer stressed that Cena’s final run would be about letting the 16-time champion choose his own path:
“You have a finite number of dates for John Cena—a finite number of big matches, big moments, and incredible things you want to do—and you want to get to the majority of them,” Triple H said. “For me, this is John Cena’s wishlist. It’s him writing the last chapter of his book. It’s about John going out the way he wants to go out.”
Now, with Cena publicly pointing to the fans as the deciding factor, questions are being raised about whether WWE is truly following Cena’s wishes or pivoting to avoid further backlash.
Cena vs Styles at Crown Jewel
What is clear is that WWE has locked in a major match: Cena vs AJ Styles at WWE Crown Jewel in Perth. The two have a storied rivalry dating back nearly a decade, and their renewed feud could help calm frustrations, at least temporarily.
But with Lesnar’s destructive return still looming over the storyline, the road ahead for Cena’s farewell tour remains uncertain.
