John Cena Breaks WWE Protocol and Makes Demand to Triple H Over Next Opponent
Cena has taken charge as his WWE retirement draws closer.
Ryan Smart
John Cena has broken his own WWE rule and told Triple H who he wants to face on his retirement tour.
Cena will officially retire from in-ring competition at the end of this year, and has a limited number of dates remaining before he takes off the wrestling boots for good.
The 17-time world champion has just five more confirmed dates before that happens, meaning fans will miss out on seeing him in some dream matches.
Minutes before WWE Raw on Monday night, Cena took to Twitter and publicly stated that he wants to take on fellow wrestling legend AJ Styles before he retires.
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The 48-year-old simply wrote: #CenavsStyles. Thoughts?"
The post racked up over 65,000 likes in the hours after it was posted, with Cena following it up by sending a pointed message to WWE chief content officer Triple H - as well as revealing that he was about to break his own WWE rule.
"I do not choose my opponents," he began. "But I (even through tough times) ALWAYS listen to the fans.
"AJ Styles are you listening? Better yet Triple H... are YOU listening???"
Triple H subsequently confirmed that Cena versus Styles had been made official for the Crown Jewel: Perth show, which takes place on October 11.
The match is set to be Cena's final appearance overseas, with his final four dates booked in for venues in the United States.
Though he has not officially made an announcement, Styles could also retire from wrestling in the coming months.
He stated in August that he may already have wrestled at his last SummerSlam event, and previously said he wants to retire before turning 50.
Styles is, like Cena, 48 years of age. He signed with WWE in 2016 after a long stint with the TNA promotion.
Despite making the first appearance of his retirement tour in January, the first time Cena competed in a singles match in 2025 was against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 42.
He entered the Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber matches, turning heel at the latter event by attacking Undisputed WWE Champion Rhodes.
Cena won the title from Rhodes, before defending it against Randy Orton and CM Punk.
After a match against R-Truth and a subsequent face turn, Cena lost the title back to Rhodes at SummerSlam in a critically acclaimed match.
Other well-received matches against Logan Paul and United States Champion Sami Zayn would follow, before Cena lost to Brock Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza last weekend.
Andreas Hale, reviewing the event for ESPN - who broadcasted the event as part of a new contract with WWE - wrote that Cena versus Lesnar 'wasn't much of a match'.