5 Mistakes WWE Made in John Cena’s Retirement Tour

John Cena is set to draw the curtains on his legendary WWE career tonight at Saturday Night's Main Event. The Farewell Tour that began in January this year comes to an end in just a few hours. However, when it is all said and done, fans can sit back and point out a list of errors and mistakes Triple H and the creative team made in The Cenation Leader's retirement tour.

There is no denying that Cena's final run had some memorable moments that fans can forever cherish. However, the farewell tour was also marred by some controversial booking decisions that will forever linger as a black stain. Whether it was the lamentable handling of his heel run or wasting limited dates, several things have tainted this monumental run.

Let's take a look at five mistakes WWE made in John Cena's retirement tour:

#5. Awful execution of John Cena's heel run

John Cena's heel turn at Elimination Chamber this year shocked the entire world, as no one anticipated it. While it steamed off in a thunderous fashion, it fell flat very soon due to WWE's poor execution, lack of commitment and rushed decisions. Despite it being the biggest move of this decade, the validation of the heel turn remained limited to Cena feeling unappreciated.

There was no character development and turning heel mid-farewell diluted the nostalgic, heartfelt goodbye fans craved. The heel turn that shouldn't have happened in the first place wasted five months of his precious retirement tour. History will remember John Cena's heel run as a fiasco, as WWE couldn't harness its full potential the way it should have.

#4. The Rock's disappearance from the story

John Cena's heel turn heavily relied on The Rock, as it was The Final Boss that convinced him to sell his soul. However, The Great One vanished from WWE programming immediately after orchestrating the shocking turn of events at Elimination Chamber. When Cena's heel run was desperately screaming for The Rock's presence, the latter was nowhere to be seen.

His withdrawal from this storyline was one of the biggest fumbles in WWE history, which left things in a bizarre state. There was no follow-up to the angle that unfolded at Elimination Chamber despite it being one of the most epic moments in the company's history. The Rock's abandonment from that storyline is undeniably a grave error that tainted The Cenation Leader's heel run.

#3. Squandering limited dates on unnecessary matches

John Cena's farewell tour had only 36 dates from the get-go. What should have been handled with great care was recklessly dealt with. WWE wasted a month on his feud with R-Truth by pitting them in two matches without any actual payoff. Moreover, The Cenation Leader battled Dominik Mysterio in three matches at a time when the clock was already ticking fast.

Apart from these, the 48-year-old competed in a tag team match at Money in the Bank, which made no sense. With his already limited schedule, Triple H should have involved Cena in a singles match at the PLE. WWE also missed the golden opportunity to elevate youngsters in his farewell tour by wasting his matches in a few throwback feuds that were not needed.

#2. Squashing John Cena at the hands of Brock Lesnar

John Cena battled Brock Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza in a match where he not only lost but was obliterated. While this was definitely a money match on paper with two of the industry's biggest stars colliding one last time, there was no point in doing it. No one wanted to see this match in Cena's farewell tour, when WWE had a long list of stars waiting to share the ring with The Cenation Leader.

Even when the company booked this match, swallowing all the criticisms, they could have made it a good one so that fans could appreciate it. However, Triple H made it a squash match with Lesnar annihilating the 17-time World Champion. It was one of the biggest mistakes that the company made in John Cena's farewell tour, just to sell tickets for WWE's debut on ESPN.

#1. Travis Scott ruining John Cena's WrestleMania 41 moment

One of the biggest and most catastrophic mistakes Triple H made in John Cena's retirement tour was spoiling his grand moment at WrestleMania 41. The Cenation Leader won his 17th World Title in WWE at The Show of Shows this year, surpassing the legendary Ric Flair's record. However, the historic moment happened with the controversial involvement of Travis Scott.

A few years from now, when fans would remember Cena's historic 17th World Title win, they wouldn't want to remember the controversy associated with it. Scott's involvement at WrestleMania 42 tainted that monumental moment, leaving a black stain on WWE's legacy. It will forever be one of the biggest and most appaling mistake that sabotaged a page of history.