John Cena has revealed that he once believed his wrestling career was over following one of the most unusual matches of his WWE career.
John Cena has revealed that he entered his Firefly Fun House match against Bray Wyatt believing it could be the final match of his wrestling career. Cena faced Wyatt in the cinematic match at WrestleMania 36 on April 5, 2020, with the encounter taking Cena through different stages of his WWE career.
Speaking to Alistair McGeorge of Metro, Cena explained that the match was deliberately constructed in a way that could have served as the end of his in-ring career.
“Honestly, no kidding. I thought the Firefly Fun House was going to be the last match of my career. I really did think that the Firefly Fun House match was going to be the tail end,” Cena said. “That was kind of a meta journey for me through facing all of my demons, and then letting go.”
John Cena Viewed Firefly Fun House As An Ending
The Firefly Fun House match closed the second night of WrestleMania 36, which was held without fans at the WWE Performance Center during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was one of two cinematic matches that weekend alongside The Undertaker and AJ Styles’ Boneyard match.
John Cena and Bray Wyatt revisited several moments from Cena’s career throughout the match. A Mr. McMahon puppet recreated elements of Cena’s famous 2002 “ruthless aggression” segment, while Wyatt later portrayed a Hulk Hogan-inspired character in a Saturday Night’s Main Event setting.
The match also revisited Cena and Wyatt’s WrestleMania 30 rivalry before placing Cena in the nWo, with Wyatt portraying Eric Bischoff. Footage from Cena’s previous defeats to The Miz, CM Punk, Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns was also incorporated into the encounter.
The match ended with Cena being pinned before disappearing from the frame entirely. Cena would not wrestle again for approximately 16 months. During his time away, he worked on Fast 9 and Barbie before eventually returning to WWE at Money in the Bank in July 2021.
