John Cena and CM Punk have been rivals for years, but their recent interaction in Saudi Arabia was a moment of pure emotion for The Cenation Leader.
Speaking on the Insight podcast, Cena reflected on Punk’s participation in Night of Champions earlier this year. Given Punk’s past criticisms of the Saudi shows, Cena viewed his return as a powerful moment of growth.
“One of the moments in sports entertainment that’s larger than sports entertainment itself is Phil Brooks [Punk] going to Saudi Arabia. That just made me cry,” Cena said. “Accountability, vulnerability, apology, forgiveness — man, cultures melding into each other.”
Cena also loved that Punk utilized his old “Doctor of Thuganomics” gimmick for the match.
“He came up with this crazy idea and I told him, ‘Dude, you have to do that.’ And he crushed it.”
WWE’s partnership with the Kingdom continues to expand following that event. The company recently confirmed that the 2026 Royal Rumble will take place in Riyadh on January 31, marking the first time one of the “Big Four” premium live events has been held in Saudi Arabia.