Former WWE Tag Team Champion David Otunga isn’t holding back when it comes to John Cena’s retirement run—and he thinks the company could’ve done a lot more to celebrate the legacy of one of its greatest stars.
During a conversation with Ariel Helwani, Otunga reflected on Cena’s last WWE Raw appearance at Madison Square Garden and admitted he was underwhelmed by how WWE chose to send Cena off. While the match—a six-man tag—was fine for what it was, Otunga felt Cena deserved something far more meaningful.
Reflecting on the way Cena’s year-long farewell was presented, Otunga said he expected WWE to pull out something truly memorable.
“Honestly, I wish it would have been a little bit more exciting. I don’t think it was what people expected. Like, I wanted him to have a farewell tour like Kobe did, you know? Remember like Kobe’s farewell tour was awesome. I feel like Cena deserves that because let’s be honest, you know, he comes out and says he’s the greatest of all time—he’s not necessarily wrong. I mean, the guy does deserve it.”
Otunga went on to explain that Cena’s final Raw match didn’t fully capture what made him such a legendary figure in the first place.
“And I just would like to see more. I don’t even know what it would be, but I just want them to put more into it. Like his last Raw at MSG—the six-man tag—it was cool, but I would have preferred to see him have a one-on-one match that was just great. Like, show us what John Cena did. Leave us with what we know him for on Raw.”
Despite past storylines where Otunga’s character clashed with Cena, the Harvard Law graduate had nothing but respect for his former tag partner, even calling him “one of the greatest of all time.”
Otunga’s words echo a sentiment shared by many fans who expected more spectacle and emotion during Cena’s final stretch with WWE. For someone who carried the company through multiple eras, Otunga feels the farewell lacked the personal touch and significance it truly deserved.
WWE has yet to confirm what’s next for Cena [final match], but if this was truly the end, it sounds like Otunga—and likely a big portion of the WWE Universe—wished it had been something bigger.
What do you think—did WWE do enough to honor John Cena’s legacy during his farewell tour, or did they miss the mark? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and let us know how you would’ve booked Cena’s final run.
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did WWE do enough to honor John Cena’s legacy during his farewell tour? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.