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John Cena Reflects on AJ Styles' Legacy and What's Next for the Retiring Superstar
The 17-time WWE Champion shares his admiration for Styles and what the future may hold for the retiring legend.
Published on Feb. 23, 2026
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As WWE prepares to pay tribute to the recently retired AJ Styles during Monday night's episode of WWE Raw in Atlanta, Georgia, John Cena has been effusively bestowing admiration upon The Phenomenal One. Cena and Styles had a legendary rivalry in WWE, with their matches becoming instant classics. In a recent interview, Cena discussed what Styles meant to his own career and what he hopes to see the retiring superstar do next.
Why it matters
Cena and Styles' matches are considered some of the best in WWE history, and their rivalry helped define both of their careers. As Styles retires, this interview provides insight into the mutual respect between the two superstars and the lasting impact Styles has had on the industry.
The details
Cena praised Styles' incredible wrestling ability and fluency, as well as his kind and professional demeanor. Cena revealed that he had to convince Styles to find a reason for their first match, as Styles is "such a nice person" that he didn't want to portray any animosity. Cena also said he wanted to give Styles a worthy sendoff in their final match in Perth, Australia.
- Styles recently retired after a career-ending match at the 2026 Royal Rumble.
- Cena retired from in-ring competition just over a month prior to Styles.
The players
John Cena
A 17-time WWE World Champion and one of the most iconic superstars in WWE history.
AJ Styles
A former WWE Champion and one of the most accomplished and respected wrestlers of his generation, known for his incredible in-ring ability and kind demeanor.
What they’re saying
“Every opponent you have should mean something to you. You should learn from them. Where AJ is concerned, not only does he have such an incredible wrestling vocabulary, fluency and ability, but I would be hard pressed to find somebody who would say, 'AJ Styles treated me unfairly' or 'AJ Styles was mean to me'. Allen, AJ, is just a really good person.”
— John Cena, 17-time WWE World Champion (SI.com)
“So I had to sit him down, and it was the day of our first promo, and I'm like 'hey, we got to understand why we're fighting. And honestly, this is how decent a human being he is, after two-and-a-half hours of prodding, he finally was like, 'OK, listen, now this isn't Allen, but maybe AJ might say that if it weren't for John Cena, I would be the face of WWE' and I was like, 'bingo!' and we're off to the races.”
— John Cena, 17-time WWE World Champion (SI.com)
What’s next
Styles is set to be honored on Monday Night Raw in his hometown of Atlanta, where he may provide more insight into his future plans.
The takeaway
Cena's reflections on his rivalry with Styles highlight the mutual respect and admiration between two all-time great wrestlers, as well as the importance of being a good person in addition to being a talented performer. Styles' retirement marks the end of an era, but his legacy as one of the best to ever step into the ring will endure.
