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The Tributes That Made John Cena & AJ Styles Special As Rave Reviews Pour In

There are no shortage of adjectives that can be used to articulate how great of a show John Cena and AJ Styles put on at WWE Crown Jewel.
Rick Ucchino|
John Cena
John Cena | WWE

Wrestling fans across the globe were treated to something very special Saturday afternoon at WWE Crown Jewel, and very few people have failed to recognize that.

John Cena defeated AJ Styles at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, and the only downside to the result was that the match had to have a conclusion.

After an exhilarating back-and-forth battle that lasted nearly a half an hour, Cena had to go deep into his bag of tricks and execute a Tombstone Piledriver, Attitude Adjustment combination to finally put his long-time rival away. That nod to The Undertaker was one of a nearly dozen tributes to both Cena's and Styles' greatest rivals, across WWE and TNA Wrestling.

This wasn't so much a match as it was a celebration of the entire professional wrestling industry, and a thank you note to some of the greatest performers to ever cross paths with both competitors.

The Never Seen 17-Time World Champion kick-started the proceedings by hitting Styles with a Skull Crushing Finale. A tip of the cap to The Miz who defeated John Cena in the main event of WrestleMania XXVII.

Cena would also utilize The Undertaker's choke slam, the Walls of Jericho, Rusev's Accolade and the RKO. He even attempted Rey Mysterio's 6-1-9 before Styles stopped him with a clothesline.

The spot of the entire night, however, came when John delivered a Sister Abigail. The tribute to the late, great Bray Wyatt brought the fireflies out all across the RAC Arena and no doubt a few tears to the eyes of many. This writer included.

Styles, who was surprised with a special introduction that referred to him as the 'ace and undisputed boss of Bullet Club', paid numerous homages to his old rivals in TNA Wrestling including Sting (Scorpion Death Drop), Samoa Joe (Coquina Clutch), Frankie Kazarian (Dead Eye) and Christopher Daniels (Angels Wings). He even added a little of Shawn Michaels' Sweet Chin Music for good measure.

When the spectacle had come to a close, the appreciation for the efforts of both men almost immediately began to pour in. Starting with a message from the man charge.

John Cena
John Cena breaks the walls down | WWE

"An all-time rivalry… Ends with an all-time match. Appreciate them while we can," wrote WWE Chief Content Officer Paul 'Triple H' Levesque on his social media accounts.

Even though he wasn't on the card, CM Punk was spotted in the audience soaking in the mastery that unfolded early Saturday morning. And several more people were in Gorilla waiting to show both Cena and Styles some love.

"AJ Styles [and] John Cena got a standing ovation upon returning to the back after their match," Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reported Saturday afternoon.

The Undertaker gave his review, calling Cena vs. Styles a masterclass

"Thank you John Cena and thank you AJ Styles. A masterclass and beautiful tribute to wrestling.

The #WWEUniverse said it… but that was AWESOME!"
The Undertaker on X

TNA International Champion Frankie Kazarian also took to X to express his gratitude and respect for both competitors.

"A poetic love letter to their craft, their rivals, their legacy and to the fans. Arguably the two best to ever do it. Honored to have shared the ring with both of these titans."
Frankie Kazarian on X

WWE Crown Jewel was the second Premium Live Event to air on ESPN Unlimited, and columnist Andreas Hale scored this show significantly better than he did Wrestlepalooza last month in Indianapolis.

While he graded the overall show a B, John Cena versus AJ Styles received an A grade and was the highest rated match of the night.

"This was as good as it gets and a fitting way to end one of the best rivalries in WWE."
Andreas Hale - ESPN

There are just four dates left in the Hall of Fame career of John Cena. It was also affirmed by Michael Cole today that AJ Styles, who will get his own Hall of Fame ring one day, will retire in 2026. Their match at Crown Jewel was truly special and one that will be treasured for a very long time.

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Published | Modified
Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

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