CM Punk wants to face John Cena one more in WWE before the legend quite the ring and has vowed to ‘drag’ him out of that retirement.
Cena made a surprise appearance at Saturday’s Money in the Bank in Toronto to make the shocking announcement that his WWE retirement is now set in stone.
Having spoken earlier this year about winding down his in-ring days, the 16-time former world champion took things a step further with his address in front of the sold-out crowd.
Cena has confirmed that the company’s WrestleMania 41 next spring will be his final instalment of the company’s mega show, as part of a final run of events with the sports entertainment giant.
Following up at the post-show Money in the Bank press conference, he clarified he won’t be bringing down the curtain on his wrestling career at the event itself, saying: “It’s not gonna end at WrestleMania.
“[The next] WrestleMania will be my last WrestleMania but, hopefully, if everything goes according to plan, we’re going straight through from January to December.
“We’re gonna try to go a long list of dates. I think right now, tentatively, it’s hovering in the mid-30s to 40s, because I’m still gonna try to juggle a lot of stuff that’s going on.”
If Cena, who has already transitioned from wrestling into an established Hollywood career, does manage to squeeze in another 30 or 40 WWE dates, he’ll have to save one for Punk.
The two have battled memorably across the decades, and the Chicago native is adamant that he wants one more opportunity to share the ring with the 47-year-old.
Speaking after Cena at the same press conference, Punk discussed the importance of the Pacemaker star on his own career, saying: “Cena, to my career, means a lot.
“I don’t think there’s many people up in that rare air where, if you talk about my career, you have to talk about John.
“It makes me feel proud that, I think, if you talk about John’s career you have to talk about me – we are married in that respect.
“I’m proud of him, he gets to go out on his terms, and I know that’s important.
“I’m looking forward to what he does, and I’ve told him that if it’s going to be one more time, we gotta do it at least one more time.”
Punk performed at Money at the Bank, making a cameo during the World Heavyweight Championship match.
He watched on as Cena made his emotional announcement, and revealed he immediately sent the star a text message before bumping into him backstage.
There, he vowed to ensure Cena doesn’t stick to his insistence that he’ll never be involved in any WWE physicality once he does call it a day next year.
Punk added: “I text him right away and said, ‘don’t leave before you say hi to me’ and he text back, ‘haha, have a good one tonight.’
“I immediately took that as ‘p*** off, I’m leaving!’ – I know he’s busy filming Peacemaker so I figured he was leaving right away.
“I was pleasantly surprised to run into him afterwards and I told him I’ll be the guy who drags him out of retirement.
“This retirement he says he’s going to adhere to… 15 years, I’ll drag him out of retirement.”
Punk himself is awaiting full medical clearance to return to the ring following a triceps injury.
The grappler suffered the damage at January’s Royal Rumble, but has continued to be a regular feature on WWE programming in the interim.
News Summary:
- CM Punk makes John Cena retirement vow after revealing backstage exchange at Money in the Bank
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