Ex-WWE Star Drops Bombshell: John Cena Allegedly Used Backstage Power to Rewrite a Major WWE Finish
John Cena’s farewell tour has reignited a controversial moment from his past, as a former WWE star has accused the 17-time world champion of altering one of the most infamous match outcomes of the modern era.
Former Nexus member David Otunga claims Cena used his influence to change the finish of the 2010 SummerSlam main event — a decision he believes derailed one of WWE’s most promising factions. Nexus’ red-hot momentum was cut short when Cena defeated Justin Gabriel and Wade Barrett in the final moments, a finish many fans still debate today.
Speaking on the Muscle Memory podcast, Otunga addressed long-standing backstage tension from that night.
“Always. Are you kidding me? Of course,” he said when asked about friction with Cena after the loss. Otunga suggested Nexus was originally booked to win, only for Cena to push a different ending that favored Team WWE.
Otunga also claimed Cena’s influence extended beyond the match. He alleged that the rumored Nexus documentary was never released because of Cena’s pull behind the scenes.
“Why do you think they never brought Nexus back? Why do you think they never released the Nexus documentary? John Cena does have a lot of pull there,” Otunga stated.
Rumors about a scrapped Nexus documentary have circulated for years, though WWE has never confirmed one existed.
This is not the first time a Nexus member has hinted at frustration over the SummerSlam outcome. Wade Barrett and others have previously pointed to the finish as a turning point that halted the group’s rise.
Cena has defended the decision in the past, saying it aligned with WWE’s creative vision at the time. But Otunga’s new comments have once again revived debate about Cena’s backstage influence — and whether one creative choice changed the course of a major era in WWE history.
