John Cena has named his favourite moment in wrestling, pointing to a CM Punk promo that he believes stands above everything else in the industry’s history.
Speaking in his first interview since retiring, John Cena appeared on What Do You Wanna Talk About? with Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. During the conversation, Cena highlighted CM Punk’s Night of Champions 2025 pre-show promo in Saudi Arabia as his standout pro wrestling moment.
Cena said the promo resonated with him because of Punk’s willingness to take accountability for past comments he had made about Saudi Arabia, describing the moment as powerful on both a personal and professional level. Cena noted that he was directly involved that weekend, sharing a promo with Punk and wrestling him the following night, which made the experience even more meaningful.
“I can’t get past Phil Brooks, CM Punk, Saudi Arabia,” John Cena began. “I think that might be my favorite moment in wrestling. I was lucky enough to have a promo with him that night and a match (the following night), so I’m attaching myself to that moment, because I think it’s one of the best moments in wrestling.”
According to Cena, the key to the moment was Punk addressing his previous remarks head-on, offering an apology, and accepting the response that followed. He praised Punk for stepping into a hostile environment and owning his words, calling it an important example for wrestlers of all generations to watch.
“You had someone who, in a moment of frustration, said some pretty hateful things about a culture. And then you have that culture being like, ‘Fu*k you, come at us!’ And then you have a man who’s brave enough to walk into the lion’s den, and for the young performers, old performers, please watch that pre-show. I think it fell under everybody’s radar. I was bawling my eyes out, saying, ‘This is the best thing ever.’”
Cena said the reaction inside the arena, and the way the crowd gradually accepted Punk, made the segment unforgettable. He described watching the pre-show promo as emotional, noting how Punk went from being heavily disliked to being forgiven by the audience in real time.
Cena added that the moment demonstrated the power of accountability and forgiveness in wrestling, concluding that he struggles to think of another moment in the industry that carries the same weight or impact.
How Many Matches Did John Cena Have With CM Punk?
John Cena and CM Punk had 13 singles matches together throughout their careers. Their first encounter took place on November 23, 2009, on Raw, where Cena defeated Punk in just under ten minutes.
Their most famous bout was on July 17, 2011, at Money In The Bank, where Punk famously won the WWE Championship from Cena and planned to leave WWE with the title. The match got a five-star rating from Dave Meltzer.
Their last bout together took place on June 28, 2025, at the aforementioned Night of Champions, where Cena defeated Punk to retain the Undisputed WWE Title.
