Vince Russo Shreds WWE Creative for Fumbling John Cena’s Farwell Tour

Vince Russo isn’t pulling any punches when it comes to WWE’s handling of John Cena’s farewell run.

During an interview with Ariel Helwani, the former WWE head writer got brutally honest about what he sees as a wasted opportunity to give Cena the sendoff he deserves. Russo, who famously helped shape the Attitude Era, said he always wanted to work with Cena and viewed the current storyline as a massive creative failure. He blamed it on WWE’s lack of qualified writers and an inability to adapt after The Rock seemingly pulled out of long-term plans.

“There are two guys I never got to work with that I would have given anything to work with. Two guys. Bray Wyatt—who was an absolute genius… and number two—John Cena. This guy is a pro’s pro. I never got to work with him.”

He believes the original plan involved The Rock and a heel turn for Cena. But once those plans unraveled, WWE had no backup—and that’s where things went off the rails.

“There was some kind of a falling out. Now we’ve gotta pivot to plan B. That’s where the problem lies. They were not able to pivot to a plan B.”

What really pushed Russo over the edge was WWE’s failure to use Cena’s farewell run effectively, especially considering the company had a year’s notice.

“Now we’ve got arguably one of the faces on Mount Rushmore, who gives them a year’s notice: ‘Guys, this is gonna be my last year.’ And again, what does that come down to? You don’t know how to write a show. You’re not qualified to write a show.”

He closed the topic with a harsh assessment of the entire situation.

“John Cena deserved a lot better than this. I wish I could’ve written that story for John Cena.”

Russo’s frustration echoed a sentiment many fans share—WWE had a once-in-a-generation chance to deliver a powerful final arc for one of its biggest stars, and they missed the mark.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.