John Cena’s clash with Roman Reigns at SummerSlam 2021 stands as a pivotal moment in the “Tribal Chief” era, but according to the 16-time World Champion, the match fans witnessed was not the one originally scripted. Speaking on the No-Contest Wrestling podcast, Cena revealed that the initial plan for the event involved a chaotic finish that would have seen him briefly capture his record-breaking 17th World Title, only to have the decision reversed. The complexity of the original booking was designed to protect both stars while delivering a spectacle involving a surprise return.
Cena explained that the creative team had devised a scenario where the match would be restarted due to a “nefarious set of rules,” allowing Reigns to ultimately retain the championship. “I was going to win 17… We were going to give them a hell of a match. Everything out the door. No rules, no nothing,” Cena detailed. The linchpin of this plan was the return of Brock Lesnar, who was scheduled to appear after the bout. However, uncertainty regarding Lesnar’s contract status on the day of the show forced a massive rewrite. “They didn’t secure Brock until 5 PM that day,” Cena noted. Once Lesnar was locked in, Talent Relations informed Cena that the finish was changing to a clean victory for Reigns.
The “Cenation Leader” took the change in stride, viewing it as an opportunity to further elevate Reigns’ character. Upon hearing the news, Cena’s response to Reigns and Paul Heyman was simple: “One spear. That’s it. Whatever match you want to have, that’s fine. You beat me with your finish once.” He credited Heyman for understanding that the story was more important than the individual accolades. During the same interview, Cena also shared insights into his recent matches, revealing that he advised Logan Paul to study Claudio Castagnoli (Cesaro) prior to their match at Clash in Paris, and that he grew his hair out for his final match against Gunther as an homage to his “Prototype” character from OVW.
Cena officially retired from in-ring competition following his loss to Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event in December 2025. While he failed to capture his 17th title at SummerSlam 2021, he eventually achieved the historic milestone at WrestleMania 41 by defeating Cody Rhodes. Currently, WWE is celebrating Cena’s career with various video packages on Raw and SmackDown, and rumors suggest he is the headlining inductee for the Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
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