The Rock recently praised John Cena by calling him the “GOAT” ahead of Cena’s WWE retirement on Saturday, December 13. Cena is set to face Gunter in his final match, sparking curiosity about whether The Rock will attend the event to honor the 17-time world champion.
The two wrestling legends share a complex history with real-life tensions that evolved into a strong friendship, an iconic rivalry, and a failed alliance earlier this year. When Cena turned heel at Elimination Chamber in February, aligning himself with The Rock, it seemed to create one of WWE’s most powerful partnerships. However, The Rock was absent from WrestleMania 41—a move that disappointed fans and seemed to dampen Cena’s heel storyline. Since then, The Rock hasn’t appeared on WWE shows, leaving fans to wonder if he will come to Cena’s final match at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
Cena showed his support for The Rock on Instagram after The Rock’s Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor, receiving warm messages from fellow actors. The Rock’s message to Cena expressed deep respect, calling him the greatest and suggesting a hopeful reunion, though this likely serves as a farewell, meaning Cena might not wrestle again beyond Saturday’s match. Fans remain optimistic that Cena’s retirement might not be permanent, despite his firm statement that his match with Gunther will be his last.
Cena also addressed his WWE farewell tour, which included various storylines and matches, notably his heel turn and alliance with The Rock and rapper Travis Scott at the Elimination Chamber. The storyline hinted at a dramatic return for The Rock at WrestleMania 41, but it never fully materialized, leaving fans disappointed. Cena downplayed the backlash, emphasizing that fan reactions and story outcomes don’t change what truly matters—his connection with the audience.
While the heel turn and partnership with The Rock had massive potential, it fizzled out quickly, missing an opportunity to fully explore the compelling dynamic between two of wrestling’s biggest stars. Ideally, the story would have concluded with Cena realizing his true strength lies in his bond with fans rather than his association with The Rock.
Fan Take: This moment is significant for WWE fans as it marks the potential end of an era with John Cena’s retirement and reflects the complicated yet iconic relationship between two of wrestling’s greatest figures. How this story concludes could influence WWE’s future storytelling, balancing nostalgia with new opportunities to captivate audiences.
