AJ Styles Reflects on Missed T-Shirt Opportunity Featuring John Cena

Orlando, Florida – April 21, 2025 – AJ Styles reminisced about a scrapped t-shirt idea centered around his 2016 rivalry with John Cena, revealing that it was a powerful backstage figure who halted the concept. In a recent interview, Styles expressed his belief that fans would have embraced a shirt with the phrase “Beat Up John Cena.”

During his tenure in WWE, Styles engaged in a heated feud with Cena that captured fan attention throughout the summer of 2016. Reflecting on the missed marketing opportunity, Styles shared, “You know what? In the time everybody wanted me to beat up John Cena, it was amazing. I wanted a shirt that said ‘Beat Up John Cena.’ Somebody goes, [Vince McMahon impression] ‘We’re not going to do it.’ So, we didn’t. I’m sure some fans would’ve bought a ‘Beat Up John Cena’ shirt.”

In other news from the world of wrestling, Bron Breakker discussed his recent viral Spear move on Carlito during an episode of Monday Night Raw. Breakker described the powerful tackle that garnered attention online, prompting Carlito to jokingly remark afterward that he had passed away. In an interview, Breakker expressed, “It’s tough to say. I always like running from a distance away. The Carlito one is maybe more my favorite because we started doing that… when I first got called up.”

Breakker detailed his unique approach to delivering the Spear, which has become known as his signature move. He explained the behind-the-scenes planning for his now-famous maneuvers, saying, “I remember one night I think I speared Sheamus or Kaiser outside of the ring. I was like, ‘Where am I coming from?’ There is usually a path to the side of the stage, and they were like, ‘You’re just going to come from the ramp.’ I wouldn’t have to slow down or jump a wall or anything.”

Meanwhile, CM Punk commented on Dominik Mysterio following the young wrestler’s Intercontinental Championship victory at WrestleMania 41. Punk’s remarks during a post-show interview were both critical and humorous, saying, “He’s a little snake. He’s a little piece of garbage… I wanted to punch him in the face when he was 10. Now I get to legally.” The juxtaposition of Punk’s disdain for Dominik’s character and the latter’s newfound success has intrigued wrestling fans.

Paul Heyman also made headlines by announcing his plans to elevate Seth Rollins to superstar status similar to that of Roman Reigns following WrestleMania 41. In statements made on the Pat McAfee Show, Heyman compared Rollins’s trajectory to Reigns’s path since he aligned with Heyman, suggesting that Rollins is on the verge of a monumental career shift. “Seth Rollins is exactly where Roman Reigns was in August 2020… everything you’ve seen Seth Rollins accomplish has led him up to this point in his career,” he stated.

As wrestling fans gear up for a thrilling episode of WWE RAW featuring the newly crowned World Heavyweight Champion, Jey Uso, the anticipation for the competitors’ future endeavors remains high.