John Cena is preparing for one of the most villainous turns of his wrestling career ahead of WrestleMania 41. However, outside the ring, the 16-time WWE world champion has opened up about a deeply personal health scare that changed his perspective.
As part of Neutrogena’s Ultra Sheer Mineral Face Liquid Sunscreen SPF 70 campaign, Cena revealed that years ago, he had a cancerous spot removed from his right pectoral muscle at the peak of his career. Initially, he ignored basic skincare, believing himself to be invincible—until a follow-up doctor’s call changed everything.
A year after his first removal, another suspicious spot near his right shoulder had to be taken out. Reflecting on his past, Cena admitted to being “stubborn” about skin health in his 20s but never expected to one day advocate for it.
Cena’s candid discussion with People about prioritizing skincare stands in stark contrast to his current WWE persona. After announcing his retirement tour in January during the debut of Netflix-era Monday Night Raw, he entered the Royal Rumble as a fan favorite, aiming to surpass Ric Flair’s championship record. However, an unexpected elimination by Jey Uso left Cena scrambling for another opportunity.
This desperation led to a shocking heel turn—Cena won the Elimination Chamber match in March, securing a WrestleMania showdown against Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. He then stunned fans by aligning with The Rock and attacking Rhodes with a low blow in Toronto, followed by a brutal post-match beatdown. The moment went viral, even featuring a surprise slap from rapper Travis Scott, marking Cena’s first full-fledged heel persona in over two decades.
Cena has since delivered some of the most praised mic work of his career, declaring his intent to win the title at WrestleMania and retire as “the last real champion in WWE,” denying anyone else the chance to dethrone him. Fans have compared this run to his 2013 rivalry with Daniel Bryan, where he lost his 11th championship reign.
Now, Cody Rhodes is determined to prevent Cena from making history with a record 17th championship reign. Their highly anticipated match is set to headline night two of WrestleMania 41 at Allegiant Stadium on April 20.
