Now that John Cena has officially retired from professional wrestling, many rising stars who admired the 17-time world champion, including AEW World Champion MJF, will miss the chance to compete against him in the ring. During an interview with Brandon Walker on Mostly Sports, MJF expressed his disappointment about not being able to face Cena in a match. He revealed that before becoming a fan of the current WWE Champion, Cena—nicknamed “Never Seen 17″—was his favorite wrestler growing up.
MJF reflected, “I think in another world, that match could have happened. Sadly, it’s not the reality. I’ve had some intense moments with John backstage where things got serious, but he’s a great guy who respects our product and me. I have a lot of admiration for him. Before CM Punk, John Cena was my top wrestler as a kid; I even had a big poster of him on my bedroom wall that I saw every morning before school.”
The most notable public interaction between MJF and Cena took place two years ago at the premiere of Iron Crow, where the two were photographed shaking hands on the red carpet. In 2024, Cena talked about that meeting, mentioning that MJF had a terrific night and subtly encouraged him to think about joining WWE someday.
If using any quotes from this article, please credit Mostly Sports and Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
Fan Take: For AEW fans, MJF’s regret highlights just how impactful legends like John Cena are to the next generation of wrestlers. This missed opportunity also underscores the unique paths wrestlers take, making dream matchups rare and adding to the ongoing excitement and speculation within the wrestling world.
