10 Moments That Caused Huge Rifts Between Wrestlers
1. John Cena Buries The Rock For Leaving WWE
John Cena resented the Rock for leaving WWE to pursue a career in Hollywood.
He brought this up more than once before Rock's 2011 return, and it generated sufficient publicity for it to drive the theme of their subsequent rivalry. Said Cena in 2009:
"It just cheapens that phrase "Oh I love this business." So then next time I come up and say "I love this business," well, the guy before me who said that before me left. That doesn't look good for me or the business."
Which is to say, there's a strong chance this was an idle work with "whenever" in mind, but it's also worth pointing out how f*cking stupid this was of John Cena to say, and how incredibly irritating it would have therefore felt to hear the criticism. Rock is the one who ever voluntarily left wresting behind, so there was literally everybody else ever for Cena to have cited in this imaginary conversation. Also, this comment rather portrayed Rock as an aloof, quasi-Ultimate Warrior figure, when the business was in the blood he let for the cause.
The Rock/Cena interactions were compelling, even - especially - in those awkward, charged moments, of Rock's shook, bulging stare, Cena's smarmy, sh*t-eating grin.
Cena in a cosmic joke followed Rock to Hollywood, but neither are that great at acting.