John Cena and AJ Styles are set to reignite their rivalry as they will face each other at the upcoming “Crown Jewel” event in Perth, Australia on October 11.
The match came into fruition in an unorthodox way, as their clash was announced on social media with no build-up or storyline.
Despite the abrupt announcement, fans are eager to see the two wrestling legends lock horns once again before Cena retires in December.
Cena’s social media request
Cena asked fans on X how they would feel if he faced off against Styles once again, as the two had a memorable rivalry during Styles’ first year in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) back in 2016.
The 17-time world champion’s post garnered millions of views, with fans replying that they want to see the two greats run it back.
“I do not choose my opponents, but I (even through tough times) ALWAYS listen to the fans. @AJStylesOrg are you listening? Better yet @TripleH ….. are YOU listening???” Cena then stated.
Triple H, the WWE’s chief content officer and 14-time world champion, announced the match a day later, making it official for the event in Australia.
“I want to thank @TripleH for being flexible here and rewarding the true driving force behind #CenavsStyles … the FANS! 2 posts with over 10m views and so many of you let yourself be heard! #WWECrownJewel Perth and @AJStylesOrg you will get my everything,” Cena further wrote on social media.
“Listening to our audience is ALWAYS what’s BEST for business! I am forever grateful to you all for choosing my next opponent. LFG!!”
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Styles reacts
In the latest episode of “Raw”, Styles thanked the crowd and their support for making the match possible.
“… I want to take a moment to say thank you. I get to do something that I love, I get to beat up John Cena,” Styles added, calling back to the catchphrase he used to keep on repeating during their initial feud in 2016.
Styles used to terrorise Cena back in the day, as he made it a mission to “beat up John Cena” every week.
The two went on to clash in historic battles, as critics and fans hailed their rivalry as one of Cena’s best.
The match comes as Styles stated that he will retire in 2026, hinting at the move throughout the year.
“I will probably appear at WrestleMania, but it’s not confirmed yet. The details are still undecided, but I will definitely retire within the next year,” Styles said during an interview with Tokyo Sports earlier in the week.
“I don’t want to show my fans a side of me that isn’t AJ Styles. That’s the main reason. I’ve decided to retire before my body can no longer move.”
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