John Cena has once again publicly defended his relationship with Vince McMahon, making clear he has not let the allegations against the former WWE chairman end a friendship that goes back more than two decades.
During a recent interview with The Guardian to promote Matchbox: The Movie, Cena was asked point-blank about his ties to McMahon. He answered without a hint of regret.
“I have no guilt nor shame about my friendship and my relationship with Vince McMahon. It’s OK to love somebody when they’re not perfect.”
The comments come more than two years after McMahon left TKO Group Holdings in January 2024. His exit followed a lawsuit filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant, who accused him of sexual abuse and sex trafficking. McMahon has denied the allegations.
This past July, Grant, McMahon and WWE agreed to take their dispute to private arbitration. The federal lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice, and the parties retained the right to pursue their claims and defenses in arbitration.
Cena, however, had already signaled publicly that his relationship with McMahon remained intact. In July, during an appearance on the Wild Card podcast, Cena described McMahon as “far more than my boss” while recalling a time he nearly broke the trust between them over a business venture.
Cena wrestled his final WWE match on December 13, 2025, losing to Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event, but he remains tied to the company outside the ring.