John Cena's retirement match was a mixed bag for wrestling fans, with some upset that the moment was used to further prop up Gunther as a "Legend Killer" in the WWE. For those who may be disappointed, let it be known there's a fun Easter egg that Cena put in the performance that will give any wrestling fan familiar with his early work reason to go back and watch.
Cena was a guest on the No-Contest Wrestling podcast, and during the interview, revealed there were many Easter eggs baked into his match that people haven't picked up on. The one he mentioned came from well before he was "The Champ" or even the "Doctor of Thuganomics." He shared below:
There are so many Easter eggs that people don’t know about, to the point of even in the match against Gunther, I tried to grow my hair out like The Prototype from UPW and OVW... Nobody caught that, but nobody’s supposed to. I was just doing it for like, 'Man, if you get it, you get it.'
For those who need a bit more context, The Prototype was John Cena's short-lived persona when he was in Ohio Valley Wrestling, the developmental federation for the WWE at the time. Readers can find Cena as The Prototype on YouTube, but be warned, it's a little hard to watch.
I can't wait to hear what other Easter eggs come out about this, and to see if people pick out nods to his past favorite matches, or iconic feuds with other wrestlers. Perhaps if there are enough of them, this retirement match will age like a fine wine compared to how some other wrestlers were sent off.
At the end of the day, though, the spectacle around John Cena's retirement is something we'll only see happen once or twice in a lifetime. Beyond a year-long celebration of one of the greatest performers in WWE history, others like CM Punk noted this was a rare exit where a legend of the business went out with his health, a lengthy goodbye, and a promising road ahead. Even if fans don't like how it ended, they can respect that it seems to be the vision he always had in mind.
While he may never perform in the ring again, I would be shocked if it's the last time we see John Cena show up in the WWE. I think he'll absolutely consider returning to host an event, or even sit in the front row and watch a PLE. I also am not fully convinced he'll never wrestle again, but that's mainly because other wrestlers have broken that promise time and time again. Cena is one of a kind, so maybe he'll be the one who actually keeps his word.
Much of John Cena's work on WWE is available to stream right now with a Netflix subscription. Check out some of his greatest matches, and of course, continue to watch WWE programming as we inch closer to WrestleMania 42.
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