Looks like former WWE foes Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and John Cena are real-life friends after all!
In a clip posted on WWE’s official account on X (formerly known as Twitter), two wrestling champions surprised fans by facing off during WWE SmackDown! Friday night at the Ball Arena in Denver.
The backstage clip opens with ESPN sports analyst Pat McAfee wrapping up a conversation with Johnson, 51.
When the two are done shaking hands, McAfee points from the camera frame behind Johnson, telling him, “Hey, there’s a guy, he can’t see you,” referencing the 46-year-old Cena’s famous wrestling catchphrase, “You can’t see me. “
The camera then pans to reveal Cena standing quietly behind Johnson, looking straight ahead with his hands behind his back. As the crowd rises, Johnson unsmilingly greets his former nemesis.
Faces turned away and emotionless, the two men square off, but they can’t maintain their stoic stance before they both smile.
“I see you’re trying to smile!” Johnson said, pointing to Cena, who nodded in agreement. The Peacemaker The star then reached out for Johnson to shake, telling him, “Welcome home.” The two hugged and the crowd cheered loudly.
John Cena and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson had a long wrestling rivalry in which they fought on several occasions. Mel Evans/AP/Shutterstock John Cena sets Guinness World Record for Make-A-Wish Foundation for Wishes Granted
Fans reacted positively online, with many happy that longtime adversaries had softened.
“This was great to see, Strikes has done wonders for us fans in a humble way,” wrote one wrestling fan, possibly referring to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes in Hollywood that began over the summer.
The two fighters continue the professional rivalry that has delighted WWE fans for years, with the second season of the A&E series WWE Rivals exploring the infamous rivalry between two wrestling icons.
The rock lives on! Amazing throwback pictures from Dwayne Johnson’s Wrestling Day
Cena publicly criticized Johnson on and off screen, leading to dream matches in 2012 and 2013. In 2011, Cena began telling fans that Johnson hadn’t been in the ring in eight years and “wondered if The Rock even cared about to work,” said the expert in WWE Rivals.
The show featured an old clip of Johnson saying, “This is what happens when idiots have confidence” while discussing Cena’s “mouth popping” before their match at Wrestlemania.
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Despite the war of words over the years and legendary matches, Cena had nothing but nice things to say about Black Adam star lately.
He told Cena, who returned to the ring in 2021 after a break Party tonight he hoped Johnson would return to wrestling.
“He’s earned the right not to be pressured into that choice. I can tell he’s a WWE fan. He’s the most electrifying man in sports entertainment,” Barbie the 2021 star said, paying tribute to Johnson’s career. “So as a fan, do I want to see one of the greatest performers of all time return to a WWE ring? Yes. But there’s no way I’m going to call him out, and if there’s one thing I’m going to talk to him about, it’s not going to try to bring him back to WWE ring.”
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