CM Punk takes jab on John Cena reminiscent to AJ Lee's mockery on Nikki Bella

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Jul 04, 2025, 17:30 IST

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The WWE saw a Cena-Punk rivalry. It had recreations of their old feud. Cena mocked Punk's pipebomb. Punk did Cena's 'Doctor of Thuganomics' gimmick. This recalled AJ Lee and Nikki Bella's feud. Lee mocked Bella in 2014. Cena beat Punk at Night of Champions 2025. Cena will retire in December 2025. Punk and Lee made iconic moments.

CM Punk takes jab on John Cena reminiscent to AJ Lee's mockery on Nikki Bella

Image via WWE

WWE Universe witnessed the last chapter in the storied rivalry of John Cena and CM Punk. It saw a recreation of their classic feud and throwback moments brought to life. One of them saw John Cena delivering a parody of Punk's infamous pipebomb. The Best in the World bounced back by impersonating Cena's popular 'Doctor of Thuganomics' gimmick. However, that brought back memories that related to the time Punk's real-life wife, AJ Lee, and Cena's ex-girlfriend, Nikki Bella, were feuding on WWE television programming.

CM Punk's wife, AJ Lee, mocked John Cena's ex, Nikki Bella, years ago

In 2014, AJ Lee was the reigning WWE Divas Champion and was embroiled in a feud with Nikki Bella. The duo was set to collide in a match on RAW. The Black Widow played mind games of her own by coming out dressed as The Fearless One, donning her outfit, and impersonating her mannerisms.Bella was visibly furious at witnessing a mockery made out of her personality. However, she did have the last laugh on AJ Lee when she defeated her in mere seconds at the Survivor Series pay-per-view to win the WWE Divas Championship and went on to set the record for the longest title reign in history.

Years later, CM Punk borrowed a page from his now wife, AJ Lee's playbook and used it to mock Nikki Bella's ex-boyfriend, John Cena.

On the SmackDown before the Night of Champions Premium Live Event, Punk came out dressed as The Doctor of Thuganomics. He laid a verbal rant on Cena in his classic rap style which left the 17-time WWE Champion speechless.

However, much like Nikki Bella, Cena defeated AJ Lee's husband and retained the Undisputed WWE Championship at the 2025 Night of Champions PLE that took place on June 28 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This was the last time they squared off inside the ring as John Cena is on his farewell tour and will retire from in-ring competition in December 2025. While Punk and AJ Lee did not have victorious ends, they created iconic moments at the expense of the former couple, John Cena and Nikki Bella, which will be etched in WWE history. Also read: WWE star Roman Reigns and Galina Becker celebrates the birth of sixth child ahead of anticipated return

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TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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