4 Decisions Vince McMahon Would Have Made Differently for John Cena’s Retirement Tour

John Cena’s farewell run has been full of surprises under Triple H. Here’s how Vince McMahon might have handled it differently.

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Younger Stars Would Have Shared the Spotlight

Throughout his retirement tour, John Cena has mostly squared off against familiar names such as Randy Orton, CM Punk, Brock Lesnar, and even R-Truth. With limited time left in the ring, many expected him to help elevate the next generation.

Under Vince McMahon, younger names like Dominik Mysterio, Gunther, and Bron Breakker would likely have been given the chance to test themselves against Cena. In the past, McMahon often used Cena to give rising talent a major boost, something that has been largely missing this time around.

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No Heel Turn for the Cenation Leader

At Elimination Chamber 2025, Cena shocked fans by turning heel for the first time in over two decades, aligning with The Rock after Cody Rhodes rejected him. He later defeated Rhodes for the world title at WrestleMania 41. While this twist grabbed headlines, it’s a move Vince McMahon would never have made.

Despite having multiple chances in the past, McMahon always resisted turning Cena, preferring to keep him as the ultimate babyface and a hero to younger fans. His final run under McMahon would have leaned heavily into that role.

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Matches Would Have Ended Clean

John Cena’s farewell tour has featured several high-profile bouts, but many of them have been clouded by interference or inconclusive finishes. Under McMahon’s booking, the 17-time world champion would have been presented in his classic “Super Cena” fashion, winning or losing in decisive fashion.

Clean finishes would have reinforced his legendary status and given fans the kind of definitive moments they expect from a career-ending run.

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No Filler Feud with R-Truth

One of the more surprising choices during Cena’s tour was a singles match against R-Truth at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event in May 2025. While Truth picked up the win, many fans felt the bout added little to Cena’s farewell story.

McMahon would not have booked this match at all. Instead, he would have used that spot to showcase a younger star against Cena, ensuring the limited time left in his career was spent on meaningful encounters.