**John Cena** Unleashes Epic “Pipe Bomb” on **CM Punk** in Showdown

In a stunning reversal, John Cena delivered a scathing promo mirroring CM Punk’s infamous 2011 rant. The Undisputed WWE Champion turned the tables, echoing the tone and structure of Punk’s original “Pipe Bomb” and igniting a firestorm of fan reaction.

A Rematch in the Making

Nearly fourteen years after the original, Cena put Punk through a table, setting the stage for the verbal onslaught. The champion, echoing Punk’s words, unleashed a barrage of grievances, much to the audience’s delight.

Mirroring the Past

The setup involved a familiar face. In 2011, R-Truth’s interference helped Punk spear Cena through a table. This time, Truth again defeated Cena, but after a deliberate disqualification. Both moments featured one man writhing in pain while the other aired their grievances.

In a reversal, Cena stood over a downed Punk in the ring. Cena then echoed Punk’s famous opening line.

“John Cena, while you lay there, hopefully as uncomfortable as you possibly can be, I want you to listen to me. I want you to digest this because before I leave in 3 weeks with your WWE Championship, I have a lot of things I want to get off my chest.”

—CM Punk, 2011 Promo

Cena, channeling Punk, hoped his rival would “digest” the words. He then made a surprising statement.

Cena stated that he liked Punk more than anyone he has ever shared a locker room with. This was a nod to Punk’s past with co-workers.

“I don’t hate you, John. I don’t even dislike you. I do like you. I like you a hell of a lot more than I like most people in the back.”

—CM Punk, 2011 Promo

Cena couldn’t stand that Punk thought he was the best because in his mind he is the greatest of all time. The crowd in Grand Rapids, MI, cheered for Cena.

“I hate this idea that you’re the best. Because you’re not. I’m the best. I’m the best in the world.”

—CM Punk, 2011 Promo

Cena’s “Pipe Bomb” evolved. Instead of attacking WWE, its management, or its fans, Cena focused solely on his opponent at the upcoming Night of Champions event.

Cena, calling him “the best bullshitter in the world,” used rare profanity, drawing gasps from the crowd. The crowd responded, chanting for CM Punk.

Cena waved to former WWE stars, echoing Punk’s promo. Cena accused Punk of using the same “five microphone moves of doom” — a jab at Cena’s perceived limited moveset.

Cena said Punk is “a millionaire despite himself.” Cena said that Punk is no longer a punk, but a capitalist.

Cena referenced Punk’s social media feud. Cena then used the line that Punk would face loud music when he proved that he has been the greatest of all time.

Fan Reactions

A theory suggests that the names Cena mentioned were a coded reference to the Bucks’ Matt and Nick Jackson, and Claudio Castagnoli — or “CC” — referring to Colt Cabana.

I've just read a theory that John Cena said MATT Cardona, NICK Nemeth and Claudio Castagnoli (CC) during his "pipebomb" for a very specific reason I've highlighted with capital letters there…

And if that's true…

We operating on a different level in 2025.

— Simon Miller (@SimonMiller316) June 21, 2025

Looking Ahead

The audience responded with a “Thank You, Cena” chant. Fans’ perception of Cena appears to be changing. According to recent data, WWE’s viewership has increased by 15% since the beginning of the year (Statista, 2025).

The focus now shifts to how this new fan support may impact Cena’s final run and how it may impact the momentum of other performers.