10 New Directions For WWE After Crown Jewel 2023

2. John Cena’s Retirement Tour

WWE Crown Jewel 2023 John Cena Bye Bye
WWE.com

John Cena is doing a masterful job of tugging at heart strings during this recent run.

The legend was once reviled by some for hogging the spotlight and always finding a way to make impossible superhero-like comebacks when the chips were down. He's called "Super Cena" for a reason. That hasn't happened in 2023. Nope, Cena is more fragile than ever before, and Crown Jewel proved it.

Solo Sikoa destroyed John with spike after spike after spike, and Cena looked totally gutted as Saudi Arabian fans showered him with love post-match. On TV, JC has spoken of crippling self-doubts and wonders if he even measures up against WWE's current roster. Saturday night fuels that story.

A teased retirement narrative is surely on the cards heading through 'Mania season. Of course, that's wholly dependent on the ongoing Hollywood writers strike. Cena has made it pretty clear that he's heading back to the silver screen as soon as that lifts.

He (and WWE) can have some fun toying with fan emotions in the interim.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.