Despite his past controversies and allegations, Vince McMahon still has not lost his friendship with John Cena. Over the course of the past few years, McMahon found himself involved in serious sexual assault and sexual trafficking allegations.
However, with the case now moved to private arbitration, Cena has commented on his friendship with McMahon. After the Janel Grant lawsuits became public, McMahon resigned from his positions in WWE and TKO.
In a new interview with The Guardian ahead of his upcoming Apple TV movie, The Matchbox, Cena opened up about his friendship and relationship with McMahon. Harbouring no guilt or shame about it, Cena said, “I have no guilt nor shame about my friendship and my relationship with Vince McMahon.”
Article Continues Below“You’re obviously going to put this in [your] article. It’s OK to love somebody when they’re not perfect,” Cena said. In the same interview, the 17-time World Champion also addressed his relationship with TKO and WWE after retirement.
“John Cena is who I am as a human being. And there is a company – WWE/TKO – that has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the intellectual property of the character John Cena. And rightfully so; they have earned their share of ownership of that,” Cena finished.
This was not the first time Cena openly addressed his friendship with McMahon. Cena has openly expressed his admiration and affection for McMahon in various instances, such as an April 2025 interview with The New York Times, a February 2024 guest spot on The Howard Stern Show, and another interview in 2023.