As John Cena approaches the conclusion of his WWE farewell tour, Tony Khan, the president and founder of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), shared glowing remarks about the wrestling icon. Despite never having met Cena, Khan expressed deep admiration for his contributions to professional wrestling during an interview with Z100 New York.
When asked about Cena’s impact on the industry, Khan admitted the question caught him off guard but praised Cena’s meteoric rise.
“Absolutely a legendary pro wrestler who came into the space and became a huge star very quickly on television,” Khan said.
He attributed Cena’s success to his undeniable charisma and relentless work ethic, qualities that have propelled him from WWE stardom to a thriving acting career, much like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.Khan lauded Cena’s reputation both in and out of the ring.
“I have a ton of respect for him as a wrestler; he seems like a wonderful person. Everybody I know that’s worked with John Cena has only the very, very best things to say about him,” he said.
Khan also highlighted Cena’s acting prowess, noting, “He’s known for being the ultimate wrestler. He’s also known for being a very, very talented actor.”
As a fan of Cena’s work, Khan singled out his performance in the starring role of “Peacemaker.” Although Khan has never collaborated with Cena, he noted that AEW partnered with DC, which is presenting their Full Gear event. He further praised Cena’s in-ring excellence and larger-than-life presence.
“I think that he’s absolutely fantastic in the ring, and he seems fantastic out of the ring. Certainly, on-screen, one of the all-time greats. He came into the wrestling business after many of the top stars were either getting ready to retire or entering the final phase of their career, and he really stepped up as one of the biggest wrestling stars of all-time,” Khan said.
Despite their lack of personal interaction, Khan emphasized his immense respect for Cena as both a wrestler and a person.
Cena’s farewell tour is winding down, with only a few WWE appearances remaining before his official retirement. Speculation has swirled about potential dream matches against former rivals now in AEW, such as Adam “Edge” Copeland or Chris Jericho. However, as of now, both wrestlers remain with AEW, and no confirmed reports indicate a matchup with Cena in the near future.
Adding to the buzz, former WCW and WWE writer Vince Russo claimed to have heard rumors that Cena was dissatisfied with the creative direction of his retirement tour and that discussions with AEW had taken place. These claims remain unverified.
Cena is scheduled to appear on several episodes of “Monday Night Raw” in November and at the WWE Survivor Series premium live event. His final in-ring performance is set for “Saturday Night’s Main Event” on December 13 in Washington, D.C., though his opponent has yet to be announced.
