‘Totally my call’ – John Cena claims Vince McMahon was not responsible for WWE name change

Dec 8, 2025 - 10:30
‘Totally my call’ – John Cena claims Vince McMahon was not responsible for WWE name change

John Cena will deliver one final Attitude Adjustment during the conclusion of his farewell tour at Saturday Night’s Main Event.

The record 17-time WWE world champion officially hangs up his wrestling boots for good on December 13 after a two-decade career.

John Cena with an Attitude Adjustment to Dominik Mysterio during Survivor Series
John Cena’s Attitude Adjustment is one of WWE’s most iconic finishers
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During his epic career, Cena has been synonymous with his ‘Five Moves of Doom’ that perfectly splits the WWE fanbase.

The sequence of moves has delivered the 48-year-old unprecedented success in the ring, but also attracted critics for its repetition.

Cena’s notorious manoeuvres begin with two flying shoulder blocks, before a side slam sets up his signature ‘Five Knuckle Shuffle’ move.

He then downs opponents with his finisher, the Attitude Adjustment, a standing variation of a Fireman’s Carry into a Samoan Drop.

Cena adopted the move in a win over Rikishi on a March episode of SmackDown in 2003, having originally used a spinning powerbomb.

Cena’s first finisher was the Proto Bomb

The American burst onto the main roster using the same move he’d had with his development gimmick, the Prototype.

Cena later coined his current finisher, the ‘FU’, during his rivalry with Brock Lesnar, a play on the Beast Incarnate’s signature ‘F5’.

However, in late 2008, WWE moved their programming to target a PG-friendly audience, which in turn affected its headline star.

Cena’s finisher was rebranded as the Attitude Adjustment, but the man himself insisted it was his call over one decided by management.

 John Cena with a Double Attitude Adjustment on JD McDonagh and Finn Balor during Survivor Series
It will be retired from WWE when Cena does
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The record 17-time WWE world champion personally changed the name of his finisher
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Why Cena changed from FU to Attitude Adjustment

“It was totally my call,” Cena told Sports Illustrated in 2009. “It’s actually Attitude Adjustment.

“I realize that our audience has changed now, and when I look out past the ring now I see so many children.

“Originally, the FU was a pun in response to Brock Lesnar’s move, he used to wrestle in the WWE. I never really called it that.

“It’s something I said once, and the announcers picked it up. I know that kids are watching my every move and there are a lot of parents know their kids look up to me and I know a lot of people watch our program with closed eyes and I kind of live by the motto — “Hustle Loyalty Respect.”

“If someone is out of line, I think instead of giving them an FU, it’s better to give them an attitude adjustment.”

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