John Cena might not break record even if he wins at WrestleMania 41, WWE legend explains (Exclusive)

Modified Apr 15, 2025 13:48 GMT

Ric Flair (left); John Cena and Cody Rhodes (right) [Image Credit: wwe.com]

John Cena will challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 41 on April 20. In an exclusive interview, Kurt Angle addressed the confusion surrounding his former rival's bid to capture a record-breaking 17th World Championship.

In 2017, Cena defeated AJ Styles at the Royal Rumble to become a 16-time World Champion. Since then, the 47-year-old has been viewed as the joint-record holder alongside two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair.

However, speaking to Sportskeeda Wrestling Senior Editor Bill Apter, Angle explained why Flair might claim the record regardless of the Rhodes vs. Cena outcome:

"I'm hoping that he [John Cena] gets what he deserves, and that's a 17th world title, so he becomes the only 17-time World Champion. Ric's gonna go nuts but, listen, John Cena, he did all 16 in WWE. Ric has 16 World Heavyweight titles, but I also know that Ric lost the title and then won it again and didn't count it, so there's some gray area that Ric might be an 18 or 19-time World Champion because he lost it at an untelevised show and then won it back." [3:31 – 4:05]

John Cena's last PPV's name revealed by Kurt Angle? More details HERE

In the video above, Angle disclosed details about the possible name of Cena's final WWE premium live event.

Kurt Angle on the difference between John Cena and Ric Flair's title reigns

As Kurt Angle referenced, all 16 of John Cena's World Championship reigns took place in WWE. Ric Flair, by contrast, is recognized as an eight-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, a six-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and a two-time WWE Champion.

Expand Tweet

Even if the all-time wrestling World Championship record is up for debate, Angle thinks Cena should be proud to hold WWE's record:

"I know that's happened a couple of times in his career [Ric Flair won more titles] and they didn't count that. But John, he's gonna be the first 17-time World Champion, and the only 17-time World WWE Champion." [4:06 – 4:18]

In the same interview, Angle shared a huge prediction about Cena's character as he prepares to retire from in-ring competition at the end of 2025.

Please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.

About the author

Danny Hart is a journalist who has been reporting on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda since 2017. He grew up as a massive fan of football/soccer and wrestling, leading him to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Before assuming his current role, Hart worked as a football writer at Goal.com between 2009 and 2016. He prides himself on writing original content that is fact-based and highly accurate. Hart thoroughly proofreads his work before submitting it and relies only on credible sources for information.

Hart’s favorite pro wrestler is The Undertaker. He admires the 2022 WWE Hall of Famer’s ability to reinvent his character and remain relevant across his decades-long career. If given the keys to WWE’s creative department, he would bring back The Phenom for a farewell bout against AJ Styles in a stadium full of fans. Not only that, but he would love to have the multi-time world champion’s greatest rivals seated at ringside for the spectacle.

When not watching and covering sports, Hart enjoys long-distance running, playing video games, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

Know More

Edited by Danny Hart