John Cena disclosed that he was originally slated to defeat Roman Reigns for his record-breaking 17th world championship at WWE SummerSlam 2021 before dropping it back to Reigns after a referee restarted the match. This revelation was shared during a recent No Contest Wrestling podcast appearance, shedding light on last-minute changes to the event’s outcome.
Cena explained that roughly an hour before the show, WWE finalized Brock Lesnar’s surprising return, forcing creative to alter the finish. Instead of Cena securing the victory, Reigns ultimately pinned him clean in the match. Cena later achieved his 17th world title at WrestleMania 41 in 2025.
Insights from Early Career Lessons with William Regal
Reflecting on his early days, Cena recounted his experiences receiving candid guidance from William Regal during his formative matches in Anaheim and Los Angeles. Regal, whom Cena fondly refers to as “Commissioner Regal,” provided straightforward feedback, telling him that getting proper wrestling boots would help him look the part, highlighting Cena’s initial struggles with his footwear choices in bodybuilding Ottomix shoes.
“So he was there and I asked him like, ‘Hey, did you see my match?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘How was it?’ His feedback was, ‘Lad, if you get yourself a pair of boots, at least you’ll look like a proper wrestler.’”
– John Cena
This advice struck a chord with Cena, who took it as encouragement to invest adequately in his wrestling career. Years later, on his retirement night, Regal surprised Cena with one final affirmation.
“In the callback of all callbacks, the night I retired he literally came up to me and said, ‘Even without boots, you’re still a proper wrestler.’ And yo, like I’m getting weird — it was [emotional]. And like, the day was real busy, but all he needed was one sentence. You never know what the effect something like one sentence can have.”
– John Cena
“That was like a 25 year callback. That ** waited on that for 25 years. And every time I would tell the story around him, and he all he would do is just say how bad the match was. He would never give me the nugget. Yeah. And then the last day, in the best way possible, he did… That’s why it landed even harder, because I went out for my last match in sneaks. And he’s like, ‘Even without boots, you’re still a proper wrestler.’”
– John Cena
How Wrestling Became Cena’s Career Path
Cena shared how friends and trainers like Chris, Smelly, and Mad Dog Mike Bell persuaded him to pursue wrestling after he found himself stuck in a rut. Having failed the California Highway Patrol exam and considering a Marine Corps enlistment, Cena was working at Gold’s Gym and frequently discussing wrestling with these friends.
Chris’s brothers were training in San Diego, and encouraged Cena to join them, which planted the first seed for his wrestling journey. That moment opened a path that Cena eagerly embraced, training diligently and overcoming the uncertainty of what lay ahead.
The Origin of Cena’s “The Prototype” Persona
Cena spoke about the birth of his initial character, The Prototype, which stemmed from his remarkable discipline and intensity in training sessions. Observed by his peers as relentless and almost mechanical in his dedication, the moniker “half man, half machine” was an effortless connection to make.
“Real easy to make that connection. Just, it sucked. Because it was a first effort. But man, I just — like everything in my life, success or failure, I went all in. Like, ‘This is my opportunity. I’m going to give it a try.’”
– John Cena
When reflecting on how people currently view that gimmick, Cena admitted the matches were far from perfect.
“So like, we always we always look back on history with nostalgia. Those were some really bad matches.”
– John Cena
Reasons Behind Switching the Drew McIntyre vs AJ Styles Match Plan
Cena addressed the WWE creative team’s need to pivot on key storylines, including a schedule adjustment where Drew McIntyre was originally meant to face AJ Styles but ultimately did not. This shift was fueled by audience data, the absence of certain stars like The Rock and Travis Scott, and a desire to create feel-good moments for fans.
The strategy involved highlighting hometown talent and incorporating multiple fan-favorite appearances to maintain engagement, especially during the disruptions of that period.
“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 [McIntyre]. We pivoted. You want to have a feel-good moment because they were listening to the data points. They listen to you guys. They do. It’s real. You have the Brock moment; people are ** off. You have the AJ moment, and things are great. You have this three-appearance run with Dom, which is fun. You know, hometown boy wins in his hometown, and then you go to San Diego; he gets his payback, but Liv comes back. We involve every ** person we possibly can. Like, fun match!”
– John Cena
Last-Minute Change Preventing Cena’s SummerSlam Title Win
In describing the original finish planned for his 17th world title win at SummerSlam 2021, Cena revealed a dramatic twist involving Brock Lesnar. The plan was for Cena to win the match, followed by a surprise restart initiated by Lesnar’s appearance, allowing Roman Reigns to reclaim the title. This no-rules, finish-heavy encounter was intended to deliver a gripping storyline.
However, Brock Lesnar wasn’t secured for the event until 5 p.m. the same day, forcing the creative team to pivot quickly and award Reigns a clean victory instead. Cena worked with Reigns and Paul Heyman to deliver a single spear finish that night, emphasizing the story over individual glory.
“In the last moment, we had a surprise guest booked, he came out after the match was over. Brock. They didn’t secure Brock until 5 PM that day. I was going to win 17. We were going to have someone come out and restart the match, Roman was going to take it back. This is creative. The way we were going to put together the match, we were going to give them a hell of a match. Everything out the door. No rules, no nothing. Tons of finishers because I was going to win, and then Roman was going to take it back. You have this hard fought battle, and through a nefarious set of rules, match is restarted. Then, we secure Brock. [Talent relations] comes and says, ‘I need to see you. We’re switching the finish.’ ‘To what?’ ‘Roman over. Clean.’ ‘Okay. Let me talk to Roman and Paul.’ We go in, ‘You got the news? What do we do?’ I said, ‘One spear. That’s it. Whatever match you want to have, that’s fine. You beat me with your finish once.’ I love Paul, Paul Heyman has been a great mentor. He gets it and he recognizes somebody who sees it’s not about them, it’s about the story. This is going to make Roman better. It switched. Right there. An hour before. It happens to everyone. I didn’t flip out. It happens all the time. I was supposed to win 17 that night.”
– John Cena
Significance of John Cena’s Story and Future Impact
This glimpse into the backstage decision-making at WWE SummerSlam 2021 illustrates the fluid nature of wrestling storytelling where outcomes are often reshaped by last-minute developments. Cena’s willingness to adapt to sudden changes, exemplified by his cooperation with Paul Heyman and Roman Reigns, highlights his professionalism and dedication to the narrative rather than personal accolades.
Understanding these creative shifts offers fans a deeper appreciation for the unpredictability and complexity behind wrestling events. Cena’s eventual 17th world title win in 2025 also demonstrates perseverance and a long-term career arc, reinforcing his legendary status in WWE history.
