Triple H has implied that John Cena played a significant role in the decision to bring Brock Lesnar back to the WWE after his controversial SummerSlam return. The 48-year-old had been absent from the company for two years due to alleged involvement in the Vince McMahon lawsuit.
Many thought Lesnar may have made his last appearance for the promotion in a losing battle to Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam 2023. But that isn’t the case as he made a shock return at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, attacking Cena after he’d just lost the Undisputed WWE Championship to Rhodes in the main event.
Triple H Implies John Cena Asked For Brock Lesnar
WWE has received criticism over Lesnar’s return due to the circumstances surrounding former chairman McMahon’s lawsuit. Ex-employee Janel Grant named the former UFC heavyweight in her amended complaint, which concerns accusations of sex trafficking.
Triple H spoke on the SummerSlam post-show about Lesnar’s return, and he suggested that Cena had pushed for the Beast to be part of his farewell tour:
“This is John Cena’s wishlist. John Cena’s… it’s him writing the last chapter of his book, and I think people saw a conversation with us where he said we’d have to screw it up pretty badly to ruin his career.”
WWE’s chief content officer added:
“But it’s not about that for me. It’s about John being able to go out the way he wants to go out. To write his chapter. I know what that’s like as a performer. I know what that’s like for everybody to feel that, and I think for John to be able to do what he wants to do.”
Cena had just lost to Rhodes in his best match since announcing his retirement tour, pulling off a classic many envisioned would occur at WrestleMania 41. He’s already faced two of his fiercest rivals including CM Punk and Randy Orton.
Triple H concluded:
“One of the very first things I said to him is ‘Who do you want? And how?’ And we’re working through that.”
Lesnar and Cena’s rivalry dates back to their early days in WWE, when they first collided in 2003, before reuniting in 2012. The 10-time world champion returned after an eight-year absence, taking up an MMA career alongside other projects.
They were embroiled in a bloody feud that saw Cena defeat Lesnar in his return match at Extreme Rules. They are now set to face one another again following the events that unfolded at SummerSlam.
John Cena: I Love Brock Lesnar as a Human Being
Cena and Lesnar’s most recent battle took place at SummerSlam 2014, when the latter executed 16 German Suplexes in one of the most one-sided world title matches in history. While they are fierce rivals on WWE TV, they appear to hold a strong relationship behind closed doors.
The 17-time world champion spoke about how talented Lesnar was and expressed his admiration for him. He told WWE’s media team during an interview, recalling his greatest matches:
“Brock is one of a kind … It’s really difficult to ignore Brock. … He’s also the most giving, gracious performer … extremely underrated, even though he’s in that conversation of greatest of all time. I love him as a human being. … He is wholeheartedly himself … and I really admire that about him.”
Lesnar’s return brought SummerSlam to a controversial end after a remarkable main event between Cena and Rhodes. The ‘Greatest of all-time’ turned babyface on SmackDown two nights before and many expected the big twist to be either a ruse or that the American Nightmare would turn heel.
