Latest news with #Pipebomb
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'That Continues to Cheer for Him'– ECW Legend Points Out a Chink in John Cena's ‘Heel' Armor
John Cena (Image via X/@WWE) John Cena 's heel turn at Elimination Chamber 2025 was really a turning point in professional wrestling folklore. Many compared it to the generation-defining turn of Hulk Hogan back in 1996, and for good reason. The 17-time world champion has been the poster boy and the evergreen good guy for the WWE for over 20 years. However, the twist in his final year of in-ring action has surely generated massive buzz. And with such a turn, that famous 'heel heat' is the dream of every superstar. But ECW legend Tommy Dreamer believes that Cena's heel turn has not worked the way it should have. But why? Tommy Dreamer Says John Cena Has Not Been Able to Adapt the 'Heel' Side of Things In a recent episode of Busted Open Radio, Dreamer explained his take: 'I still don't think the heel turn has worked because they just cheer for him…But it has given him different opponents. He is going out there and doing his best, and it's you, the fan, that continues to cheer for him." He admitted that this reaction would not have erupted if it was anyone other than Cena. 'If there was someone just coming up, if it was Austin theory – not that they're just coming up — and/or Grayson Waller doing the same thing John Cena was doing, they'd probably be the biggest heels in the business. But because it's John Cena, they are reacting that way." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Sharp Design, Smoother Drives. Toyota Glanza Learn More Undo The former ECW champion is right on point. Cena's recent rivalries with Randy Orton and CM Punk have garnered praise and immense pop from the crowd, even though the WWE champion vows to 'ruin wrestling' forever and claims to be 'the last real champion'. His recent iteration of Punk's famous 'Pipebomb' promo from 2011 on SmackDown garnered ballistic reactions from the crowd. Dreamer even mentioned that Cena should stay in his heel persona both on and off the screen. "Here's a difference, the thing that John can't do that I would do… Like I would stop doing the things that I do. If somebody approached me in a grocery store, I would heel them. I would go 100% all in on social media. I even said this, I probably would quit this show, because why would I want to talk to people?… I couldn't say, 'John Cena, stop doing all these commercials. '… His social media is still uplifting. I don't think he can do that." It is safe to say that the veil of the professional wrestling setup has already fallen and it is nowhere near in terms of being secretive as it was in the 1990s and even the late 2010s. Everyone knows that it is a work and so fans are paying their tribute to perhaps the greatest wrestler of all time. And yes, even as a heel! Also read: John Cena shares hilarious meme on social media to spread awareness about skin cancer Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
ECW Legend Defends CM Punk's Alleged Hypocrisy Over Performing at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia
Image via WWE: CM Punk CM Punk is perhaps the most outspoken and controversial star in WWE history. Examples of this quality are well-documented with his 2011 'Pipebomb' promo and rants outside the ring about various issues, ranging from the independent circuit and backstage stories. However, one major rant came in 2020 when Punk lambasted The Miz online in relation to the WWE star performing in Saudi Arabia for cash despite the country's alleged history of human rights violations. But in 2025, Punk wrestled John Cena at Night of Champions in the Arab nation. This wasn't free of controversy. On the NOC kick-off show, Punk was targeted by a WWE fan in the crowd about his comments, after which Punk publicly apologized for his rant from years ago. And naturally, this has attracted many naysayers calling Punk a hypocrite owing to his persona of being outspoken but still apologising after reaping the benefits of performing in Saudi Arabia. However, Rob Van Dam has stepped in to defend the former WWE Champion. Rob Van Dam Feels Differently About CM Punk's Change of Heart Taking to his '1 of a Kind' podcast, the former ECW World Champion said, "I don't consider it hypocrisy unless it was done at the same time. People can grow. Their perspective can change. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Viaja al Caribe 2025 en crucero todo incluido Cruceros | Anuncios de Búsqueda Más información Undo If he said something 5 years ago, and then now he feels different about it. That's not what a hypocrite is. We all grow, feel different.' The WWE Hall of Famer further added, 'Let's say you're a kid in school and you think this kid's a jerk, and then you start talking to him, and then you find out he's really cool, and he becomes your friend. Are you a hypocrite? No. You just have more information now than you had before, and so your view has changed." This reflection from Van Dam speaks highly about Punk's transformation since returning to the WWE at Survivor Series 2023. The former WWE Champion is no longer the guy with an extremely edgy attitude and is now firmly established as the locker room leader. Moreover, he even main-evented his first-ever WrestleMania this year against Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. Apart from this, Punk's change of heart even received appreciation from WWE CCO Triple H, who was happy with Punk's newfound perspective. Also read: Former ECW World Champion accuses current WWE Champion John Cena of getting other Superstars fired For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Former ECW World Champion accuses current WWE Champion John Cena of getting other Superstars fired
makes a serious allegation against . The legend accused the Undisputed World Champion of getting former WWE stars fired. John Cena pulled off a parody of CM Punk's Pipebomb recently. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Cenation leader name-dropped wrestlers who were previously a part of WWE. The name-dropped wrestlers were Matt Cardona, Nic Nemeth, and Claudio Castagnoli. Rob, in a recent podcast, alleges the Champ of getting these wrestlers fired in the first place. Rob Van Dam comments on John Cena's Pipebomb name-drop In the recent episode of 1 of a Kind with RVD, the host made some serious allegations. The legend had a very different perspective on John Cena's name-drop. Fans after the Pipebomb believed that the callouts were cues to possible WWE returns of the wrestlers. However, Rob Van Dam believes that John Cena himself got these names fired. During the podcast, the Legend stated, 'Maybe those were guys that Cena got fired from WWE. ' "RVD-Anomics & Your Bubble!" | 1 Of A Kind With RVD Ep. 110 Matt Cardona, on the other hand, responded to the name-drop in a light-hearted way. The wrestler replied to the Champ's callout during a GCW event. Cardona sat on a turnbuckle, took a mic, looked at the camera and said 'Hi'. It was directed at the Cenation Leader. Was there a rivalry between Rob Van Dam and John Cena? Rob Van Dam shared a brief rivalry with John Cena. It was reflected in the 2006 ECW One Night Stand event. Cena faced a hostile crowd that night during the match. Rob even showed interest in reliving the rivalry before the Champ retires from the sport. The Champ even reflected on the iconic rivalry in one of his recent interviews. John Cena LIVE Full Panel | Philadelphia Fan Expo 2025 'Man, it was awesome. I'll give you a tidbit that I haven't told anybody. There was a sign, which was actually brought to this convention today, that said, 'If Cena Wins We Riot.'' Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Cenation Leader stated at the Philadelphia Fan Expo 2025. John Cena is almost halfway through his farewell tour. With only 15 dates remaining, 10 of them have been finalised. The Champ will be having his last match in mid-December. Cena, will however remain associated with WWE in some other capacity. Also Read:
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
WWE NXT's Darkstate slams Matt Cardona in an unexpected ambush
Image via WWE WWE NXT's Darkstate invaded TNA iMPACT. Matt Cardona had just secured a win over Eddie Edwards. However, the celebration did not last long. NXT's Darkstate makes a surprising appearance and rushes at Cardona from all directions. The faction includes Dion Lennox, Cutler James, Saquon Shugars, and Osiris Griffin. The wrestler did not get much time to respond. Darkstate landed strikes on Cardona before putting him to the ground. The System was not very pleased with the ambush. Darkstate invasion teases Matt Cardona's possible WWE return The attack has strengthened the possibility of Matt Cardona's WWE return. The wrestler has been name-dropped on several occasions in WWE. The most notable one was in John Cena 's Pipebomb. With Darkstate's invasion, the wrestler might finally be making a comeback. Commenting on the viral attack clip, Cardona wrote on X, 'Chose the right man to attack for attention… #TNAiMPACT' Cardona's wife, Chelsea Green, is already working for WWE. With the name-dropping instances, she has defended her husband. The attack seems to be an ideal excuse to make a return to the promotion. Has Darkstate opened up possibilities for crossovers between NXT and TNA? Darkstate has been wreaking havoc all over WWE in recent times. No one is safe anywhere. Their recent attack in TNA has opened up doors for possible crossovers. WWE NXT and TNA had announced a partnership earlier this year. This has led to crossovers of superstars between the two promotions. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Our one of a kind Patented Cold Water Extraction Process Superior Ginseng Undo A prominent example is the rivalry between Joe Hendry and Trick Williams. Now, with the recent attack, there is a new possibility of crossover. Eric Edwards lost to Matt Cardona in a grudge match. This was right before the attack. Alisha Edwards made repeated attempts to distract Cardona. However, it failed. After the defeat, Eric and Alisha stepped out of the ring. It was at this moment that the blindsided attack was launched. The ambush was not taken well by the System members. The Darkstate members mocked the Wrestlers outside the ring after taking down Cardona. The mockery might lead to a crossover with both factions facing off against each other. Nothing has been confirmed as of yet. Getting revenge on such surprise attacks is not a new thing. The invasion was not taken well by the wrestlers of the promotions. The audience might be in for a treat with surprising cameos soon across the promotions. Also Read: Is Saraya planning to make a comeback at the upcoming WWE Evolution 2? For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here . Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Does CM Punk Hate John Cena because of his romantic history with his real-life wife?
and CM Punk are one of the most iconic rivalries in history. The Best in the World ascended to the main event scene after dropping the Pipebomb after he took out Cena following his match. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The duo clashed against each other on multiple occasions, however, there is one thing that is common between them. That is a connection with one particular top WWE star who is now CM Punk's real-life wife, which sparks a debate about whether Punk hates Cena because of that history. John Cena was rumored to be dating CM Punk's real-life wife years ago Around the early 2010s, John Cena had a brief storyline with former WWE superstar AJ Lee, which led to some romantic moments between the duo on live television. Furthermore, it was rumored that Cena and Lee had begun dating in real life as well. However, nothing was confirmed, and after some time, when the storyline ended, Lee was reportedly dating CM Punk in real life. This came after the duo had also shared space on live television and moments of their own. Cena having a history with his heated rival's wife could have been a potential reason for Punk to hate him. However, nothing was confirmed by the Best in the World. In fact, Punk has been heard praising Cena on multiple occasions. Elsewhere, he married AJ Lee in 2014, just a while after he walked out of WWE and the duo have remained a strong couple to this date. John Cena and CM Punk had their last battle in WWE The rivalry between John Cena and CM Punk came to its conclusion at the 2025 Night of Champions PLE. With Cena being on his farewell tour, this was his last match against his iconic rival in WWE. The duo delivered a highly spectacular showdown in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the main event that saw a chaotic end. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now However, as the dust settled, it was Cena who retained the Undisputed WWE Championship. CM Punk went after Seth Rollins on the following RAW, who caused major interference in his match, while Cena is expected to face Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam. The American Nightmare won the King of the Ring tournament at Night of Champions, setting the stage for a possible title rematch from WrestleMania 41. While the feud has concluded, Cena and Punk as rivals will always remain etched as two of the greatest WWE rivals of all time. Also read:
