CM Punk on John Cena: ‘If You Talk About My Career, You Have to Talk About John’

Punk reflected on John Cena, sharing what Cena meant to him throughout his career

CM Punk is ready to say farewell to John Cena.

Permitting he gets the chance to do it himself.

“He gets to go out on his terms,” said Punk, discussing Cena’s decision to retire at the end of 2025. “That’s important. I’m looking forward to what he does. And I told him, ‘If it’s going to be one more time, we’ve got to do it at least one more time.’”

How does CM Punk feel about John Cena's retirement? pic.twitter.com/yceIBNT8c2

— WWE (@WWE) July 7, 2024

Speaking to media at the Money in the Bank post-show presser, Punk ate baked goods, hinted that his in-ring return is near, and highlighted what Cena meant to him.

“Cena, to my career, means a lot,” said Cena. “If you talk about my career, you have to talk about John. It makes me proud that if you talk about John’s career, you have to talk about me.”

Punk noted he viewed himself and Cena as two competing superheroes in pro wrestling (“I looked at it as Superman and Batman,” said Cena). He discussed his text exchange with Cena earlier in the night–and well aware of wrestling history, where no one ever can stay retired, Punk also joked that he’ll be the one to pull Cena out of retirement.

“I texted him right away [at Money in the Bank] and said, ‘Don’t leave before you say hi to me,’” said Punk. “And he texted back, ‘Haha, have a good one tonight.’ I immediately took that as, ‘Piss off, I’m leaving.’ I know he’s busy, he’s filming Peacemaker, so I figured he was leaving right away.

“I was pleasantly surprised to run into him afterward. I told him, I’ll be the guy that drags him out of retirement.”