WWE’s “Unique” Plans For AJ Styles And John Cena

John Cena and AJ Styles have a unique build-up for WWE Crown Jewel.

After John Cena confirmed that 2025 will mark the final year he will be an in-ring WWE Superstar, fans pitched several names for him to face, among them being AJ Styles. Both men had previously feuded in 2017, and their match in that same year was highly-regarded by many, with some even stating it was one of the best performances of The Cenation Leader.

As the 17-time World Champion’s Farewell Tour comes to a close, many grew frustrated about his set of opponents, which were mainly repetitive. The final nail in the coffin was the squash match against Brock Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza, which saw the latter easily win. As it turns out, it wasn’t just fans who were frustrated, but also the former Undisputed Champion himself.

On this week’s WWE RAW, John Cena got the attention of the fans by advocating for a rematch against AJ Styles. The former even challenged Triple H to listen to fans and make the match happen at Crown Jewel, which he eventually did. As it turns out, the match has been building up for a while now.

.@JohnCena vs. @AJStylesOrg is a match we all want to see. And at #WWECrownJewel…we will.

Saturday, October 11 on @espn & @netflix. https://t.co/PhF5NM6AoCpic.twitter.com/Z7nsRuXwTb

— Triple H (@TripleH) September 23, 2025

Dave Meltzer Shares Backstage Details On AJ Styles Vs. John Cena At WWE Crown Jewel

In the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer pointed out how WWE used social media as the main means to build up the match. He recalled the time John used the finishers of the wrestlers he would no longer face in his Farewell Tour as a tribute, which was actually the beginning of the build-up for the WWE Crown Jewel match.

They used social media to do an angle. By the way, this match was always scheduled for Australia, always. So the whole deal about Cena and AJ with the idea that Cena was doing the tribute to him because he wasn’t gonna get to wrestle him, that was actually to build to this match. That was not actually ever the case.”

Dave Meltzer pointed out that although Cena vs. Styles is endorsed by fans, it wouldn’t be something they would clamor for. However, to create demand, they had John pay tribute to AJ and have Styles cut the infamous shoot-work promo on RAW.

The idea was that they would tell people, ‘you’re not gonna get this match,’ which meant people were going like, because nobody’s gonna like clamor for the match. You know what I mean? It wasn’t something that people were gonna naturally clamor for.

So to create a demand for the match, they created, they basically told the story that Cena’s paying tribute to him because he’s only got limited dates and AJ ain’t getting it. And AJ did that speech, the dark speech on RAW during the American commercials about how I’m mad about how I’m being booked and they’re not, whatever. And it was all to build up this match. So that was the unique way of doing it, that’s all.”

It will be interesting to see who will emerge victorious between AJ Styles and John Cena at WWE Crown Jewel on October 11.

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