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WWE Elimination Chamber saw John Cena’s title dreams shattered in dramatic fashion by future Hall of Famer
John Cena will be looking to kick-start his farewell tour with a win inside the Elimination Chamber this weekend. The 16-time WWE champion is set to bow out of professional wrestling this year, and wants to say goodbye with a record-breaking title win. Cena will hope to book his spot on the WrestleMania card by winning at Elimination ChamberGetty Cena’s retirement tour began with an appearance on Raw’s debut Netflix show, while he also competed in the Royal Rumble match. Despite entering the Rumble from a favorable 23rd spot, he was not the last man standing, and instead it was Jey Uso who punched his ticket to WrestleMania 41. After the event, a disappointed Cena cut an emotional promo during his post-show press conference, vowing to win at Elimination Chamber instead. “What is best for business is I main event WrestleMania, and what is best for business is, for the first time, I confidently say that I’m gonna win a 17th championship,” he told reporters. “I’m saying that because after 23 years of loyal service to this company, I feel that opportunity is earned. “And I say that because it is not best for my ego, it is not best for my business. I have built my existence here off of hard work, loyalty to this company, and respect for all of its branches. “I will win 17 not for me, I will win 17 to someday shake the hand of the person who wins 18. Thank you very much.” One month on from those comments, and Cena has a chance to back it up. He will challenge CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Logan Paul, Damian Priest and Seth Rollins inside the chamber. The winner will go on to face Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania in Las Vegas, and if it’s Cena, he will have a chance to finally win his 17th world title and break a tie with Ric Flair. Cena is one of the most decorated WWE stars of all time, and is looking to win his 17th world title this yearWWE The winner of the Elimination Chamber will face Rhodes at WrestleManiaGetty But he doesn’t exactly have happy memories from the Elimination Chamber match. Cena has competed inside the structure on a number of occasions, perhaps most notably when he was the defending WWE Champion. On the Road to WrestleMania in 2017, he put the belt on the line against Dean Ambrose, Bray Wyatt, The Miz, Baron Corbin and AJ Styles. With the deck stacked against him, Cena lost the title that night. The 16-time champ squared off with Styles to begin the match, and while he had the upper hand as the first five-minute period expired, the arrival of Ambrose shook things up. Wyatt and Corbin then entered the match in the fourth and fifth spots, before The Miz completed the field. Cena held his own for more than 20 minutes as he defended his title against five others at Elimination Chamber 2017YouTube: WWE But he was then caught by Wyatt, who hit his ‘Sister Abigail’ finishing moveYouTube: WWE Cena was pinned and eliminated from the match, while Wyatt went on to become championYouTube: WWE As chaos unfolded around him, Cena managed to avoid an early elimination, watching as both Corbin and Ambrose were sent packing. He then caught Miz with an ‘Attitude Adjustment’ to thin the field to three, before going all-out to defend his title. Cena scaled the chamber and dived off one of the pods, flattening both Wyatt and Styles. But as he looked to put Wyatt away, he was countered by a ‘Sister Abigail’ finishing move, and pinned. The stunning moment brought to an end Cena’s record-tying 16th world title reign, and guaranteed that a new WWE Champion would be crowned inside the chamber. While Styles went straight after Wyatt with an offensive blitz, it was the latter who eventually secured victory with another ‘Sister Abigail’. The new champion held his title high above his head, having outlasted all his rivals inside the unforgiving structure. He went on to walk into WrestleMania 33 as the defending WWE Champion a couple of months later. Bray Wyatt won his first singles title in WWE by pinning Cena and Styles inside the chamber back in 2017YouTube: WWE So while 2017’s Elimination Chamber match might bring back bad memories for Cena, it was a real highlight for the late Wyatt. It was his first singles title in WWE, and ensured the star fulfilled his potential by finally winning the biggest prize on offer, much to the delight of the fans around him. Wyatt, real name Windham Rotunda, went on to win the Universal Championship on two occasions before his death at the age of 36 in 2023. Bray Wyatt was beloved by fans for both his in-ring work and brilliant creative mindWWE Beloved by fans not only for his in-ring work, but also for his incredible creative mind, the WWE legend is sure to one day be posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame to celebrate his memorable career.
John Cena will be looking to kick-start his farewell tour with a win inside the Elimination Chamber this weekend.
The 16-time WWE champion is set to bow out of professional wrestling this year, and wants to say goodbye with a record-breaking title win.
Cena’s retirement tour began with an appearance on Raw’s debut Netflix show, while he also competed in the Royal Rumble match.
Despite entering the Rumble from a favorable 23rd spot, he was not the last man standing, and instead it was Jey Uso who punched his ticket to WrestleMania 41.
After the event, a disappointed Cena cut an emotional promo during his post-show press conference, vowing to win at Elimination Chamber instead.
“What is best for business is I main event WrestleMania, and what is best for business is, for the first time, I confidently say that I’m gonna win a 17th championship,” he told reporters.
“I’m saying that because after 23 years of loyal service to this company, I feel that opportunity is earned.
“And I say that because it is not best for my ego, it is not best for my business. I have built my existence here off of hard work, loyalty to this company, and respect for all of its branches.
“I will win 17 not for me, I will win 17 to someday shake the hand of the person who wins 18. Thank you very much.”
One month on from those comments, and Cena has a chance to back it up.
He will challenge CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Logan Paul, Damian Priest and Seth Rollins inside the chamber.
The winner will go on to face Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania in Las Vegas, and if it’s Cena, he will have a chance to finally win his 17th world title and break a tie with Ric Flair.
But he doesn’t exactly have happy memories from the Elimination Chamber match.
Cena has competed inside the structure on a number of occasions, perhaps most notably when he was the defending WWE Champion.
On the Road to WrestleMania in 2017, he put the belt on the line against Dean Ambrose, Bray Wyatt, The Miz, Baron Corbin and AJ Styles.
With the deck stacked against him, Cena lost the title that night.
The 16-time champ squared off with Styles to begin the match, and while he had the upper hand as the first five-minute period expired, the arrival of Ambrose shook things up.
Wyatt and Corbin then entered the match in the fourth and fifth spots, before The Miz completed the field.
As chaos unfolded around him, Cena managed to avoid an early elimination, watching as both Corbin and Ambrose were sent packing.
He then caught Miz with an ‘Attitude Adjustment’ to thin the field to three, before going all-out to defend his title.
Cena scaled the chamber and dived off one of the pods, flattening both Wyatt and Styles.
But as he looked to put Wyatt away, he was countered by a ‘Sister Abigail’ finishing move, and pinned.
The stunning moment brought to an end Cena’s record-tying 16th world title reign, and guaranteed that a new WWE Champion would be crowned inside the chamber.
While Styles went straight after Wyatt with an offensive blitz, it was the latter who eventually secured victory with another ‘Sister Abigail’.
The new champion held his title high above his head, having outlasted all his rivals inside the unforgiving structure.
He went on to walk into WrestleMania 33 as the defending WWE Champion a couple of months later.
So while 2017’s Elimination Chamber match might bring back bad memories for Cena, it was a real highlight for the late Wyatt.
It was his first singles title in WWE, and ensured the star fulfilled his potential by finally winning the biggest prize on offer, much to the delight of the fans around him.
Wyatt, real name Windham Rotunda, went on to win the Universal Championship on two occasions before his death at the age of 36 in 2023.
Beloved by fans not only for his in-ring work, but also for his incredible creative mind, the WWE legend is sure to one day be posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame to celebrate his memorable career.
