John Cena’s farewell or WWE’s failure? 10 Minutes, 6 F5s, zero respect

John Cena, the man who defined an era of WWE, is slowly being ushered out in a way that feels unworthy of his legendary status. His latest clash at Wrestlepalooza against Brock Lesnar summed up the problem perfectly — ten minutes, six F5s, and Cena flat on the mat. No storyline, no meaningful buildup, just a squash match that could have been lifted straight from their 2014 rivalry. For someone who carried the company for nearly two decades, that kind of sendoff feels more like an afterthought than a celebration.

The bigger issue is that this hasn’t been a one-off mistake. John Cena’s farewell tour has been riddled with disappointing choices. His heel turn looked bold on paper but crumbled once The Rock stopped showing up. The WrestleMania main event with Travis Scott was universally panned. Then came a Royal Rumble where Cena was used merely to put over Jey Uso. Add in awkward detours with Logan Paul and a bizarre R-Truth storyline, and it’s hard not to feel like WWE is mismanaging the most important goodbye of the modern era.

Of course, there have been glimpses of what this tour could have been. Matches with old rivals like CM Punk and Randy Orton briefly reignited the magic that made Cena a household name. But those sparks have been buried under inconsistent storytelling and tone-deaf booking decisions. The result is a farewell that feels cold, corporate, and stripped of heart.

Now, with only five appearances left, WWE has one final chance to correct course. Fans don’t want more nostalgia fillers or retreads of old rivalries. They want Cena in battles that mean something — against names like Gunther, Drew McIntyre, or even rising stars like Bron Breakker. These matches would not only honor Cena’s legacy but also help elevate the next generation, just as great retirements should.

Cena has always been the ultimate company man, willing to put over whoever WWE asked him to. But the farewell tour isn’t about the company, it’s about the fans and the legacy of the man they cheered for years. Right now, that legacy is being overshadowed by weak booking. WWE still has time to change the narrative — the question is, will they?

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