John Cena's Historic 17th WWE Title Record Was Nearly Set Years Earlier
WWE legend John Cena has solidified his status as 'The Greatest of All Time' in professional wrestling, largely due to his historic achievement of winning a record-setting 17th World Championship last year. However, in a surprising revelation, The Cenation Leader has disclosed that this monumental milestone was almost accomplished years before it actually occurred.
The Original SummerSlam 2021 Plan That Never Materialized
During a recent interview with No Contest Wrestling, John Cena shared fascinating behind-the-scenes details about WWE's original plans for SummerSlam 2021. Cena was scheduled to face Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship at that premium live event, with creative plans calling for him to capture his 17th World Championship title.
The planned finish was particularly intriguing: Cena would win the championship, only to have someone interrupt and restart the match immediately, allowing Roman Reigns to reclaim the title. "I was going to win, 17. We were going to have someone come out and restart the match, and Roman was going to take it back," Cena explained during the interview.
This carefully orchestrated plan was dramatically altered when WWE management successfully signed Brock Lesnar back to the company by 5 PM on the day of the show. The unexpected return of The Beast Incarnate prompted WWE's higher-ups to completely change the match's finish, postponing Cena's historic 17th championship victory for several more years.
The Actual Record-Setting Victory at WrestleMania 41
John Cena's path to his 17th World Championship finally culminated at WrestleMania 41 in 2025, four years after his SummerSlam 2021 match against Roman Reigns. As part of his farewell tour that year, Cena executed a dramatic heel turn on the road to WrestleMania, employing underhanded tactics to defeat Cody Rhodes in the main event.
This victory established Cena as a record-setting 17-time World Champion in the Stamford-based promotion, earning him the Undisputed WWE Championship. His championship reign included successful title defenses against top-tier WWE superstars including Randy Orton and CM Punk, demonstrating his continued dominance in the ring despite his veteran status.
The Championship Reign and Final Farewell
Cena's historic 17th title reign was scheduled to culminate in a SummerSlam rematch against Cody Rhodes, creating a fascinating full-circle moment. The two competitors had delivered what many considered one of the best matches in WWE history at WrestleMania 41, and their SummerSlam encounter would mark the end of Cena's championship run.
Remarkably, this occurred at the same SummerSlam event where WWE had originally planned to make him a 17-time World Champion four years earlier. The symmetry was not lost on wrestling historians and fans who appreciated the poetic nature of the championship's beginning and end.
John Cena continued his farewell tour throughout 2025, culminating in his final in-ring match at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event in December against Gunther. In a heartbreaking conclusion to one of wrestling's most illustrious careers, Cena tapped out to Gunther's sleeper hold after a hard-fought, emotionally charged match that left fans worldwide reflecting on his incredible legacy.
The revelation about the original SummerSlam 2021 plans adds another layer to John Cena's remarkable career narrative, highlighting how close he came to achieving his historic 17th championship years before it actually happened, and how unexpected developments in professional wrestling can dramatically alter career trajectories and championship records.
