John Cena has revealed that a major WWE rematch was the most demanding for him both physically and mentally.
Following his main roster debut in 2002, Cena went on to face just about every major star in the company over the next 23 years. From The Rock to Randy Orton to Roman Reigns and CM Punk, Cena has faced a wide variety of opponents, each with their own styles.
Another name who has crossed paths with Cena multiple times is Brock Lesnar, who also made his main roster debut in 2002, but found championship success much earlier. On top of their Ruthless Aggression Era clashes, Cena and Lesnar also shared the ring when The Beast returned in 2012, and the famous match at SummerSlam where Cena was squashed.
John Cena Says Brock Lesnar Match Was Toughest Both Physically And Mentally
As part of the Cena retirement tour in 2025, the 17-time World Champion faced Brock Lesnar one last time at WrestlePalooza. However, unlike previous encounters, this match was not as well-received by the fans. Another squash victory for Lesnar, the match also came at a time when goodwill for Cena had returned, as Cena had just turned face prior to SummerSlam.
Speaking with Justin Barrasso of Undisputed, Cena spoke about his Wrestlepalooza bout with Lesnar. While Cena had been in the ring with Lesnar before, and was well aware of the physical toll, the fan reaction made the match mentally tough too:
“I’d always say my next match was going to be my toughest, but that’s not true now that I’m retired,” Cena said. “The toughest one was from the retirement tour against Brock Lesnar. The reason I say that isn’t just because it was physically demanding — any match with Brock is physically demanding. What was tough about that one is I’ve had my butt kicked by Brock Lesnar before, and you guys loved it. In Indianapolis, I got my butt kicked by Brock Lesnar and you hated it. So that made it physically and mentally tough. It was easily the toughest match of my career.”
Cena recently made his return to WWE to announce the John Cena Classic, a tournament where fan votes matter more than wins and losses. Further details on the inaugural tournament are still yet to be announced.
Featured image: WWE
