John Cena recently described one of his latest promotional segments as a flop. Over the past few weeks on SmackDown, Cena has been heavily featured, involved in a storyline with CM Punk as well as the King of the Ring Tournament, where the winner earns a world title shot at SummerSlam.
On the June 13 episode of SmackDown, Cena kicked off the show with a promo that lasted several minutes before being interrupted by Lanai, Cody Rhodes, and Randy Orton. During an appearance on the Breakfast Club, Cena was asked about a time he really “bombed” a segment. He pointed to this particular promo, explaining that performing in front of a live audience in Grand Rapids, Kentucky, was a tough challenge since they had limited ability to engage the crowd and had to clearly explain his intentions.
Cena took on the role of a villain mastermind, using five minutes to outline his plan to the audience. He believed the promo was well-constructed and included subtle hints for his fans, but the reaction he received was surprisingly negative. He admitted the crowd “hated it,” and there was silence—”it was cricket”—before the other wrestlers came out to a much better reception.
According to a Fightful Select report, this critique was Cena’s own reflection rather than backstage criticism, suggesting that WWE officials did not view the segment as harshly. Cena, the WWE Champion, is set to defend his title against CM Punk at the upcoming Night of Champions pay-per-view event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Fan Take: This candid admission from Cena sheds light on the challenges even top WWE stars face in connecting with certain live audiences, adding a layer of authenticity to his character. For WWE fans, it highlights the risk and unpredictability of live promos and sets the stage for an intense championship showdown between Cena and CM Punk that could shift momentum in the sport.
