Folks, it’s official—we have reached the “everybody gets a mic” phase of WrestleMania season. If you love long-winded speeches, surprise entrances, and at least one person storming out of the arena, this was your night.
Friday’s SmackDown turned into a verbal battle royale ahead of Saturday’s Elimination Chamber match, as John Cena’s looming legacy became the hot topic of the night. Drew McIntyre, Damian Priest, Seth Rollins, CM Punk, and even Logan Paul all had something to say—because nothing says “high-stakes wrestling” quite like a group therapy session with steel chains and a giant dome.
McIntyre Goes Full Supervillain, Calls Cena a Hypocrite
The night kicked off with a dramatic vignette hyping John Cena’s “final WrestleMania push,” but before anyone could shed a nostalgic tear, Drew McIntyre promptly set fire to the whole thing. Channeling The Dark Knight like a man who just discovered Netflix, McIntyre brutally called Cena out, declaring that he either “dies a hero or lives long enough to become the hypocrite.”
But wait, it gets better. The Scottish Psychopath then sat cross-legged on the announce desk, straight-up stealing CM Punk’s signature pose, because if you’re going to burn the house down, you might as well redecorate.
McIntyre accused Cena of politicking his way to the top for years and vowed to be the one to bury him for good. Bold claim, considering Cena has survived The Nexus, a boulder-sized AA on Batista, and a Firefly Funhouse Match that erased his entire personality.
Damian Priest: “R-Truth Makes More Sense Than You”
Before McIntyre could fully bask in his anti-Cena monologue, Damian Priest stepped in—probably because he still hasn’t forgiven McIntyre for handing him the WWE Championship via severe distraction disorder at last year’s WrestleMania.
Priest didn’t mince words, reminding McIntyre that he only lost because he was too busy staring at CM Punk like a jilted ex. Then, because nothing is ever simple, Seth Rollins arrived to remind everyone that if he hadn’t been robbed by McIntyre’s cash-in, he would have beaten Priest for the title anyway. Wrestling logic, folks.
CM Punk: Ready to Cook, Takes Offense to Everything
Punk, ever the instigator, interrupted Rollins mid-sentence (because he legally cannot let Seth have the last word). The Chicago-made chaos merchant promised to “cook” Rollins inside the Chamber, then casually informed Priest that while he had no beef with him, he would still be collateral damage. Because if there’s one thing CM Punk loves, it’s making enemies for fun.
Naturally, this led to Rollins and Punk screaming at each other while Priest and McIntyre looked ready to throw hands. That’s when it happened. Cena’s music hit. The crowd exploded. The arena was electric. JOHN CENA IS HER—oh wait, no. It’s Logan Paul.
Logan Paul’s Greatest Troll Yet: Cena’s Theme, Punk’s Wrath
Logan Paul, the human embodiment of “your least favorite YouTuber,” trolled the entire WWE Universe by entering to John Cena’s theme. It was like ordering a filet mignon and getting a microwaved hot pocket filled with Prime Energy.
Paul took verbal jabs at each competitor, saving his best digs for CM Punk before pulling off a world-class retreat with Punk chasing him up the ramp. Smart move, considering Punk was two seconds away from putting him in a headlock and demanding an apology for ruining Vine.
Final Thoughts: The Chamber Awaits
So what did we learn? McIntyre hates Cena. Rollins hates McIntyre. Punk hates Rollins. Priest just wants to fight. And Logan Paul is out here speedrunning WWE 2K24’s heel mode.
Saturday’s Elimination Chamber is shaping up to be a five-star war—or an unhinged disaster. Either way, we win.