John Cena Reacts to Grayson Waller's NXT Promo

Grayson Waller's recent promo caught John Cena's attention, and the 17-time world champion spoke highly of the buzzworthy segment.

Waller shocked fans when he appeared on the July 18 episode of WWE NXT. He cut a heated promo in which he took shots at his former tag team partner, Austin Theory, and he commented on his time being paired with the New Day before noting that his career was dying.

He also criticized TNA and NXT's men's division while calling out Cruz Montana (Mike Santana) and NXT Champion Tony D'Angelo. Waller also stated that he was starting to remember who he was.

Waller's appearance on the show sparked plenty of buzz, and various members of the wrestling world have reacted to it. Cena liked what he saw in Waller's promo, and he shared his thoughts on social media.

John Cena says Grayson Waller has found his why

Cena shared the YouTube video of Waller's promo on X, and he wrote that the combination of authenticity and effort led to respect. In doing so, Cena seemingly said that Waller had earned his respect with his performance on Tuesday.

Cena also said that it appeared that Waller had found his "why." The former world champion wrote that he was eager to see what Waller does next.

Effort + Authenticity = Respect

It appears @GraysonWWE has found his WHY. Eager to see what he does. @WWENXT https://t.co/hRViQbxnuN
— John Cena (@JohnCena) July 29, 2026

Cena and Waller have crossed paths before. Waller memorably interrupted Cena at WWE Money in the Bank 2023, where the future WWE Hall of Famer laid Grayson out with an AA. It seems clear that Waller has made an impression on Cena, and he continues to impress him. Cena wasn't alone, as Bayley and CM Punk also reacted to Waller's NXT promo.

As Waller acknowledged in his promo, his career has somewhat stalled out in recent months. He and Theory previously won the SmackDown Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania XL, but they broke up while Theory was sidelined with an injury.

Waller later aligned with The New Day and struggled to find success during this chapter of his main roster run. He hasn't had many opportunities on television in recent months, especially since The New Day has left WWE.

Grayson Waller
— Bayley (@itsBayleyWWE) July 29, 2026

With his appearance on NXT, Waller has been given a chance to shine. Based on the reaction to his return to the brand, it seems like Waller has captured the attention of the wrestling world. Fans will have to wait and see what he does next and whether he'll continue to stand out.

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