John Cena says even his retirement tour wasn’t immune to last-minute changes.
During an appearance on No-Contest Wrestling with O’Shea Jackson Jr. and TJ Henderson, Cena pulled back the curtain on WWE Crown Jewel 2025 — where he faced AJ Styles in what was billed as one final chapter in their iconic rivalry. But according to Cena, that wasn’t the original plan.
“I try to plan it as a year of creative experiences, but you have to be able to pivot. You don’t have Rock, you don’t have Travis (Scott). ‘We’re going to do this and this.’ AJ was supposed to be Drew. We pivoted.”
That’s right — Drew McIntyre was originally scheduled to stand across from Cena at Crown Jewel before plans changed. Cena explained that WWE had to adjust creatively depending on availability and fan response. He also made it clear that data and audience reaction played a role in how the final stretch of his run unfolded.
“You want to have a feel good moment because they were listening to the data points. They do. It’s real. You have the Brock moment, people are pissed off. You have the AJ moment, and things are great.”
Instead of McIntyre, fans got one more Cena vs. AJ Styles showdown — a rivalry that helped define the latter portion of Cena’s career. The pivot ended up delivering a more celebratory moment before Cena moved deeper into the final chapter of his farewell run. Cena also referenced other key stops along the way.
“You have this three appearance run with Dom, which is fun. Then, the Ring General.”
That “Ring General,” of course, refers to Gunther — the man who ultimately defeated Cena in December 2025 in what became his official retirement match.
The revelation adds to Cena’s farewell year, showing just how fluid the creative process was behind the scenes. Even one of the biggest retirement tours in WWE history required adjustments on the fly.
Do you wish we had gotten John Cena vs. Drew McIntyre at Crown Jewel instead of AJ Styles — or did WWE make the right call? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.