John Cena and a two-decade veteran, five-month foe, seemed to end their feud with a hug on SmackDown.
John Cena Reunites With Former Rival in Surprise WWE SmackDown Moment originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
John Cena and R-Truth had an interesting meeting on Friday's SmackDown in Montreal.
The two WWE veterans ended months of on-screen tension with a funny backstage reunion, just days after Cena’s SummerSlam loss to Cody Rhodes and a controversial post-match attack by Brock Lesnar.
The segment opened with R-Truth approaching Cena, who recently reverted to his face persona. After an awkward mirror routine, Truth declared, “You’re back! You’re really back! If you back, I’m back! We’re back!”
The two shared a hug, signaling an end to their feud that had spanned multiple pay-per-views.
R-Truth reunites with his childhood hero 🥹
— WWE (@WWE) August 9, 2025
PEACE HAS BEEN RESTORED 🙌🙌🙌 pic.twitter.com/3hT7ijqWer
Cena then jokingly called out Truth for “acting weird for five months,” citing his mean streak, drastic haircut, and even “making a child in Brussels cry.”
Cena accused Truth of wanting to “ruin wrestling” before walking away, leaving the 53-year-old veteran in a state of confusion shortly after both embraced.
Closing the Chapter on R-Truth's ‘Ron Killings’
Friday's exchange marks the end of Truth’s recent run as the serious “Ron Killings” character, which began after Cena’s heel turn in March at WrestleMania 41.
The two clashed at Saturday Night’s Main Event in May and again at Money in the Bank, where Truth attacked Cena mid-match.
Truth’s character shift included a name change to his real name as part of a “One Final True Run” storyline. The move allowed him to potentially use “Ron Killings” for independent bookings after his WWE tenure, considering that "R-Truth" is trademarked by WWE.
With Cena now back in a babyface role, the encounter suggests R-Truth will return to his long-running, fan-favorite comedic persona, one that defined much of his two-decade WWE career.
What’s Next for John Cena and R-Truth?
Cena’s night didn’t end backstage when he met R-Truth. Later on SmackDown, Cena and Cody Rhodes teamed up against Logan Paul and Drew McIntyre, earning a disqualification win after interference, but standing tall in the ring.
Cena also issued a direct challenge to returning WWE star Brock Lesnar, hinting at a major future showdown as part of Cena's retirement wish list during his final year as an active wrestler.
Meanwhile, Truth’s next move remains unclear, but the reconciliation with Cena and the ending of their meeting on Friday left the door open for him to be reintegrated into lighthearted segments or mid-card storylines.
No return to in-ring action involving Cena has been reported, with the chances of it happening short-term unlikely given Cena's situation within the promo and the plans WWE might already have built for his farewell tour.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
