John Cena revealed that he attempted to introduce a new finishing move during his 2025 farewell tour, pitching the idea directly to WWE creative—only for it to be immediately rejected. Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, the 16-time World Champion said he wanted to adapt his style at age 48 by relying on experience, timing, and strategic striking rather than power-based offense.
“I’ve leaned on what strength I have left. I’ve leaned on the wisdom I have and some of the tricks I’ve learned,” Cena said. He explained that as he approached his final year, WWE encouraged him to work a more measured match style: “Knowing a confident why for all the matches… and especially being told like, hey from this point on, we need you to give her a little bit. We need you to get into it more.”
Cena’s proposed solution was to resurrect one of wrestling’s most controversial finishers: the “heart punch.” According to Cena, the idea was immediately dismissed. “That whole heart punch idea you had, it’s probably not going to work,” he recalled being told. Cena didn’t fight the decision. “Okay, let’s go. You know, I think I can ride this out,” he said.
The heart punch is one of wrestling’s most infamous maneuvers. Delivered as a direct strike to the chest, the move was presented as a blow capable of stopping the heart or rendering an opponent unconscious. Its reputation in wrestling lore stems from several real-life tragedies that were woven into kayfabe. Ox Baker popularized the move in the 1970s, and after two wrestlers—Alberto Torres in 1971 and Ray Gunkel in 1972—died shortly after matches with Baker, promotions amplified storyline claims that the heart punch had killed them. Baker became one of the most feared heels in the country, sparking riots, including a notorious 1974 incident in Cleveland.
Stan “The Man” Stasiak also used the heart punch as his finisher, including during his brief run as WWWF Champion in 1973, helping establish the strike as one of the deadliest moves of the era.
This is not the first time Cena has pitched or used a strike-based finisher. During his 2018 run, while filming a project with Jackie Chan in China, Cena introduced the “Lightning Fist,” a theatrical spinning backfist created with the Jackie Chan Stunt Team. The move was used at live events and during the Super Show-Down event in Australia, functioning as a blend of action-movie flair and in-ring comedy.
