"I'm sorry" - John Cena vs. AJ Styles won't draw for WWE in the United States, according to veteran

The highly anticipated match between John Cena and AJ Styles next month won't be a draw for WWE, according to a veteran. The marquee match was made official after the 17-time World Champion made a couple of posts on X about wanting to face Styles.

The match will take place on October 11 at Crown Jewel in Perth, Australia. While fans are excited to see the two icons wrestle one more time, former WWE writer Vince Russo believes the match isn't a money-making clash, especially after the promotion's debut on ESPN with Wrestlepalooza.

Speaking on Behind the Turnbuckle Studios' The Coach and Bro Show, Russo said while the match would be a good wrestling contest, it wouldn't be a draw in the United States.

"Man, if I only did 40,000 subs with the first PLE, AJ Styles and John Cena are not my next PLE, Coach. I'm sorry. That is not box office. That is a great, solid wrestling match. That is not a must-see wrestling match. So again, I can't see that drawing a huge number in the United States," Russo said.

Insane Vince McMahon ideas that got canceled - Watch Here!

During the conversation, Russo also said that ESPN wants money and subscribers from WWE and believes it won't get it with Styles facing Cena. Notably, WWE Premium Live Events now stream exclusively on ESPN in the United States.

You can watch the video below:

Veteran questions WWE's decision to book John Cena vs. AJ Styles

Vince Russo isn't alone in questioning the Triple H-led creative team's decision to book John Cena vs. AJ Styles for Crown Jewel. Scott D'Amore, a former TNA personality, is also baffled by the decision.

In his The D'More Drop column on Uncrowned, the pro wrestling veteran said he doesn't understand why anyone would want this match to be one of Cena's final bouts. While he agreed that the encounter would be great, he questioned the timing from WWE.

Still, Cena and The Phenomenal One are expected to put on a show for fans at Crown Jewel. Whether it gives a solid boost to WWE's start on ESPN, it remains to be seen.

If you use quotes from this article, please credit Behind the Turnbuckle Studios and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.

About the author

Sherjeel Malik is a writer at Sportskeeda and covers pro wrestling. He was hooked on the product from the moment he saw The Hardy Boyz jumping off ladders during the Attitude Era. While he comes from an engineering background, Sherjeel’s love for pro wrestling and content writing led him to pursue a career in sports journalism. Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Sherjeel worked at other reputable organizations for five years.

While writing articles, he ensures that he only relies on credible sources for information and covers relevant subjects that do not project an agenda against a particular person or association. WWE legend Paul Heyman once shared Sherjeel’s work on his social media handle.

Sherjeel’s earliest memory of pro wrestling is watching Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker square off for the WWE Title in the main event of a pay-per-view in 1998. His favorite wrestlers are Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy. While he admires Orton for his character work as a heel, he looks up to Jeff because of his unique wrestling style and risk-taking ability.

If he could go back to the Attitude Era, Sherjeel would like to manage Ken Shamrock and be his mouthpiece. He feels Shamrock’s promo skills prevented him from becoming a main event-level act in WWE. Hence, he would like to help the UFC Hall of Famer get over with fans.

When not writing about pro wrestling, he likes to read classics and fiction books.

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Edited by Sherjeel Malik