'He Shouldn't Be Here': Brock Lesnar Leaves John Cena Fans in Tears as WWE WrestlePalooza Sparks Outrage

Brock Lesnar vs John Cena at WWE WrestlePalooza ended in a shocking and crushing defeat for Cena. But this decision by WWE left fans enraged and saddened to the point that some young fans at the event were seen in actual tears. As Cena's on his retirement tour with a few appearances left, fans feel betrayed by WWE's booking of this match.

Brock Lesnar Buries John Cena

Brock Lesnar's recent big time match with John Cena at WrestlePalooza left fans stunned, angry, and in disbelief. The WWE universe had anticipated a good back and forth between two of the company's biggest stars on Cena's retirement tour, but what unfolded on 20 September 2025 was far from what many fans expected. From the opening bell, Lesnar asserted his dominance, delivering a series of punishing moves that left Cena struggling to recover, it was complete annihilation. This was made worse when the families and children especially watched in horror as their hero, Cena was repeatedly slammed to the mat with multiple F5s that decisively ended the match in a brutal way.

Fan Outrage by Brock Lesnar vs John Cena

Brock Lesnar vs John Cena ignited a firestorm on social media and in the arena itself. Fans vented out their frustration with many expressing that Cena's portrayal in the match made him look so weak on his retirement tour. There was a fan at the event who's sign went viral as it read 'He shouldn't be here & we all know why', allegedly for Brock Lesnar. Fans speculated it's because of Brock's name being involved in Vince McMahon's controversy.

Fans on social media went nuts too with one tweeting "Can't believe WWE really wasted one of John Cena's final dates on this tbh."

Another angry fan wrote : "What the actual f– was the point of this? You couldn't give John Cena ONE more win over Brock? I'm done with this show already."

This emotion echoed across social media and then footage of the match circulated alongside clips of young fans visibly upset and even some in tears. It seems like fans felt a sense of betrayal, with viewers feeling WWE had prioritised shock value over a meaningful tribute to Cena's iconic career. Even if Cena had to lose, it could have been done in a different way.

WWE's Storytelling Heavily Criticised

The decision to book Lesnar in such a dominant way has provoked discussion about WWE's broader storytelling strategy with Cena's last few dates left. As per reports, Cena has only five dates left in his retirement tour, that means at best just five more matches. Critics argue that positioning Lesnar to destroy Cena demolished the emotional impact of Cena's retirement tour, creating tension between fans' expectations and the company's desire to generate immediate reactions that anyway didn't seemingly go in their favour. One prominent fan suggested a redemption arc with a possible rematch, 'I don't get it unless it's not over. Cena needs redemption. Brock didn't need this win'.

The Wrong Kind of Reactions for WrestlePalooza

All this heat came down on WrestlePalooza as it also was the inaugural event broadcast on ESPN, and hence carried additional weight in terms of exposure and significance. The controversial outcome of the Lesnar vs Cena match was obviously not ideal, it seems, to build the brand on a new network. As John Cena's retirement draws closer, the fallout from WrestlePalooza will likely influence both fan expectations and WWE's creative direction.