Did John Cena Cut the Greatest Promo of His Career?
John Cena is widely regarded as one of the most talented mic workers in the history of professional wrestling. Over the years, he has delivered countless memorable promos, but recent events have sparked debate about whether he has just delivered the greatest promo of his career. This moment came during a confrontation leading up to his highly anticipated match against CM Punk at Night of Champions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Cena’s ability to blend storytelling, humor, and intensity has always set him apart, but this promo pushed those boundaries even further. Fans and critics alike are now questioning if this moment will go down as a defining moment not just for Cena’s career, but for the art of wrestling promos overall.
The promo took place after a non-title match on the June 20th episode of SmackDown in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Cena faced R-Truth. The match ended with Truth winning via disqualification after Cena hit him with the WWE Championship belt. As Cena was about to continue his assault, the arena erupted with the sound of CM Punk’s theme music. Cena stood tall by hitting Punk with a low-blow and an Attitude Adjustment through a table in the ring. Then Cena grabbed a microphone and delivered his own version of Punk’s infamous 2011 Pipebomb promo.
What made Cena’s promo particularly compelling was his direct engagement with the audience and other wrestling stars outside WWE. He waved at the camera, greeting stars like AEW’s Claudio Castagnoli, TNA’s Nic Nemeth, and freelance wrestler Matt Cardona; former WWE stars known as Cesaro, Dolph Ziggler, and Zack Ryder. This moment shocked fans as it is very rare when a star of Cena’s caliber acknowledges other wrestlers outside of the WWE. Punk did the exact same thing during his Pipebomb when he waved to his best friend at the time, Colt Cabana, 14 years ago.
Many fans believe this was possibly Cena’s greatest promo of his career, possibly his best work as a heel. As this is Cena’s final year in WWE, moments like these serve as a fitting capstone to his legendary career. Cena ended the segment with “Thanks for letting me rip off your promo to make you look even more foolish,” and he exited the arena after blowing a kiss to Punk. Reminiscent of Money in the Bank 2011, to a standing ovation. Whether it truly is his greatest promo remains subjective, but it undeniably stands among his most impactful and daring performances.
