John Cena's Farewell Tour began with the star claiming that he aims to win a record 17th title win. In doing so, he would take over Ric Flair as the record holder for the number of times he's held the title. His initial attempt to go to Wrestlemania was to win the Royal Rumble match. Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful as he was the last man to be eliminated.
His next attempt was to win the no.1 contender Elimination Chamber match. He was successful and, as most of us know, the unthinkable happened. He turned into a heel by giving Cody Rhodes a low blow. The basic argument he gave towards the 'Mania match that he would win the match and become, "The Last Real Champion."
This past Sunday, with a little assistance from rapper, Travis Scott, John Cena cemented his legacy as the GOAT by winning the match.
After the show, Cena met with the media. Upon arriving at the post-show, he had in his hands the side plates previously bearing Rhodes’ likeness. He tossed them to the ground like garbage. In his first words as champion, Cena said, "Part of my role as the last real champion is to develop a better relationship with the media."
Cena then invited reporters to ask questions. Immediately, he was asked about the dynamics of his relationship with The Rock, who was noticeably absent at WrestleMania. Cena simply responded with, "That’s a clickbait question and lazy reporting. Next."
For the next several moments, Cena was asked about everything from preparation for the match with Rhodes to his smile going missing. He dismissed every reporter, including those from ESPN and USA Today, labeling their queries as clickbait questions and lazy.
“I’m beginning to sense a pattern here, that you guys are just looking for headlines. So I’ll give you one. Tune into Monday Night Raw to see how I ruin wrestling,” said Cena.
The Last Real Champion appeared on, "The Pat McAfee Show" earlier on Monday to address his WWE future now that he carries the weight of the gold on his shoulders. He said:
"When I won my first title, I made a promise, ‘When I’m a step slower, I’m gone.’ If you watch my stuff from 2015 and watch my stuff today; I’m a step slower. So you know what, I’m gone. I made that promise to these people behind me. Whether they like it or not, I know wrestling retirements aren’t real because there is always a payout involved. I’ve been in the business almost 25 years and the business has been good to me. I’ve been smart with my money and I will have a life without want and I know how appreciated I am. I never once take that for granted. There is no amount of money and not a check, this is a shot across the bow to any casino owner, any territory owner, any promotion owner, you can’t write me a check to bring me back. In December, I am done because of the promise I made to them. Whether I like them or I don’t, at least I go out keeping my word. December, I’m gone."
The Raw episode after Wrestlemania was quite telling about the journey going forward for the GOAT. He made a bold entrance, dressed in black gear and hoisting his championship belt amidst a massive burst of pyro. Cena, declaring himself the, "Greatest Of All Time," demanded the ring announcer recite an over-the-top introduction that highlighted his accolades. He proclaimed, "Winners write history" and went on to remind the fans that they couldn't boo him on Friday and expect forgiveness just because he won the title. "That’s not how a functional relationship works," he stated, asserting that the crowd owed him an apology.
As Cena continued to berate the audience, he revealed that he only had 36 appearances left in his career, which he quickly reduced to 27. He emphasized that these were not matches but appearances, stating, "I don’t have to wrestle. I just have to show up and do this." The tension escalated as he declared that the championship belt, once held by legends like Bruno Sammartino and Roman Cena won Reigns, now belonged to him, the last true undisputed champion.
Cena’s 17th world title win comes nearly two decades after his first at WrestleMania 21, where he beat JBL for the WWE Championship. In the weeks leading up to WrestleMania 41, Cena teased retiring with the title at year’s end.
To be honest, I'm glad that Cena won at Wrestlemania. It wasn't for the record but I got tired of Rhodes being the champion. Seeing a babyface being a champion for a prolonged period can get a bit boring. This is because nothing new happens. It's the same sequence of actions that occur over and over again without any excitement. It gets very vanilla very fast. I find it more amusing when a heel is the champion.
In winning, Cena certainly laid down the marker for the future. He now stands alone atop the mountain. In achieving this victory, he has, with a shadow of a doubt, become the GOAT.