New information has emerged about the highly debated Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena match at WWE Wrestlepalooza, revealing that the dominant finish was never in doubt. According to Dave Meltzer in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, rumors suggesting that Cena was originally planned to win — or that there was a late change to the finish — are false.
The match, which opened the show and served as WWE’s first major presentation under its new ESPN broadcast deal, ended with Lesnar defeating Cena in a one-sided contest reminiscent of their infamous 2014 SummerSlam encounter. The lopsided result sparked speculation among fans that WWE might have altered the outcome at the last minute, especially with Cena nearing the end of his farewell tour.
Meltzer reported that was never the case: “We were told that was not the case, and that Lesnar was not brought back to lose his first match. There are always discussions, and the idea may have been broached for Cena to win, as most expected, but it was never a serious discussion or ever the planned finish.”
The purpose of the match, Meltzer explained, was to re-establish Lesnar as an unstoppable force after a two-year absence from the ring. Cena reportedly supported the creative decision, understanding that his “bulletproof” status with fans allows him to withstand even a decisive loss without damaging his legacy.
“The match was all about making Lesnar as strong as possible, getting a last match with Cena, and the feeling [was that] Cena, more than anyone, is bulletproof no matter what they do with him,” Meltzer wrote.
The long-term booking plan is to rebuild Lesnar as a monster heel so that a future rising star will benefit from being the one to finally defeat him. As of now, there are no plans for a rematch between Lesnar and Cena before Cena retires at the end of 2025.
Cena, who has just five appearances left on his retirement tour, is now set to face longtime rival AJ Styles at the Crown Jewel premium live event in Perth, Australia, on October 11.
