Tributes to retiring legend John Cena kept rolling in this Friday as WWE’s YouTube channel released a new video titled “WWE Superstars Reveal the Best Advice They Got from John Cena.” The emotional compilation, clocking in at just over four minutes, features top stars like Cody Rhodes, R-Truth, and Becky Lynch sharing the wisdom imparted to them by the 17-time World Champion.
However, one specific segment has sparked immediate conversation across the wrestling world, as CM Punk appeared to use the platform to take a veiled jab at his former employer, AEW, and specifically his old rival, “Hangman” Adam Page. At the 13-second mark of the video, the current World Heavyweight Champion appears on screen.
While the prompt was to share advice received from Cena, Punk opened with a line that instantly rang bells for those familiar with his tumultuous exit from All Elite Wrestling.
“I feel like John’s probably given me advice. I’m not the guy that really listens to people, though,” Punk said.
The comment appears to be a direct reference to Adam Page’s infamous 2022 remarks. Speaking at GalaxyCon Raleigh ahead of a championship match, Page was asked about receiving guidance from veterans like Punk and Sting.
His response—stating that he was “stubborn” and didn’t really take advice because he was part of the movement that created the company—became the catalyst for one of modern wrestling’s most explosive backstage conflicts.
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Punk famously did not take kindly to Page’s stance. During the now-legendary post-show media scrum at “All Out” 2022, Punk unloaded on Page, calling him an “empty-headed idiot” for refusing wisdom from veterans. He famously questioned, “Who the fk do you think you are?” noting that a locker room isn’t “worth st” if the young talent refuses to listen.
By repeating the sentiment that he is “not the guy that listens” in a WWE-produced video, Punk seems to be mockingly reclaiming the narrative that ultimately led to the “Brawl Out” incident and his eventual firing from AEW. Despite the sarcasm, Punk did pivot to share the actual advice he received from his greatest rival. It was a message that seems to define Punk’s entire career trajectory.
“Stick to your guns. Be yourself. Stay true to yourself,” Punk recalled Cena telling him.
The inclusion of this clip highlights WWE’s willingness to lean into Punk’s controversial past, blurring the lines between reality and storyline. Even as he pays tribute to Cena, with whom he shared a defining rivalry culminating in their classic match at “Money in the Bank” 2011, Punk remains characteristically combative.
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