John Cena says a CM Punk promo is his favorite pro wrestling moment.
In his first interview following his retirement, WWE legend John Cena spoke to Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes on his What Do You Wanna Talk About podcast. During the conversation, he named CM Punk’s 2025 Night of Champions Pre-Show promo in Saudi Arabia as his favorite pro-wrestling moment of all time.
John Cena said he admired CM Punk for taking accountability for his previous comments about Saudi Arabia.
“I can’t get past Phil Brooks, CM Punk, Saudi Arabia,” John Cena began. “I think that might be my favorite moment in wrestling. I was lucky enough to have a promo with him that night and a match (the following night), so I’m attaching myself to that moment, because I think it’s one of the best moments in wrestling.
“You had someone who, in a moment of frustration, said some pretty hateful things about a culture. And then you have that culture being like, ‘Fu*k you, come at us!’ And then you have a man who’s brave enough to walk into the lion’s den, and for the young performers, old performers, please watch that pre-show. I think it fell under everybody’s radar. I was bawling my eyes out, saying, ‘This is the best thing ever.’
John Cena Says CM Punk Made Everyone Forgive Him With That One Moment
“Phil goes out there, I want to say Phil, because it’s his development as a man. Front row, there’s a dude to hold him accountable, and I’m huge on accountability. In the right moment, Phil was accountable for what he said, he gave a good explanation for the why, and what can we do after that. ‘I’m Sorry,’ and then you leave it. That’s all you can do. Forgiveness takes time, and when someone’s ready to forgive, they’ll mend that fence.
“That gentleman forgave him right there, and bro, the forgiveness was infectious. Phil went on that pre-show at 5 PM. We did a promo at 8:30. He went from being the most hated person to saying sorry to one guy and being forgiven, and then the whole pre-show forgiving him. Then he went out in front of 31,000 people, and they forgave him. I don’t know if there’s a better moment than that,” John Cena said.
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