WWE: John Cena Thanks Fans & Coworkers for Making 2025 Unforgettable For Him, Nikki Bella on Her Fearless Lock Being Different Than John Cena’s STF & Origin of Her Move, Velvet Sky on John Laurinaitis Being Reason Why WWE Never Signed Her

John Cena Thanks Fans & Coworkers for Making 2025 Unforgettable For Him

John Cena held a retirement tour for his in-ring wrestling career in WWE throughout 2025 that ended with his retirement match against Gunther at the December 13, 2205 WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event show in Washington, D.C.

John Cena reflected on Thursday on Twitter about his praise of fans and his coworkers for making his 2025 a year he won’t ever forget.

“Life goes on and we all move onward, as 2026 is here I’ll fondly remember so many moments from 2025. Thanks to ALL fans, co workers, critics and anyone around the world who used their voice to make 2025 a year that I’ll never forget. Omnia Dedi. Pro omnibus gratias ago.”

Life goes on and we all move onward, as 2026 is here I’ll fondly remember so many moments from 2025. Thanks to ALL fans, co workers, critics and anyone around the world who used their voice to make 2025 a year that I’ll never forget. Omnia Dedi. Pro omnibus gratias ago.

— John Cena (@JohnCena) January 1, 2026

Nikki Bella Comments on Her Fearless Lock Being Different Than John Cena’s STF & Origin of Her Move

This past Monday’s WWE RAW show in Orlando, Florida featured Stephanie Vaquer defeating Nikki Bella and Raquel Rodriguez to retain the WWE Women’s World Championship. This match was notable for Bella applying her Fearless Lock to Rodriguez which led to the crowd chanting “Thank You Cena” over her move resembling Cena’s STF and the past history they had together. Bella responded back at the crowd saying “No, thank me.”

A recent episode of The Nikki & Brie Show podcast featured co-host Nikki Bella giving her thoughts about the crowd’s reaction to her move and the origin of her move did not come from Cena but instead Shayna Baszler.

“I think people forgot, not everyone, but I used to do the Fearless Lock. Yes, it was during a period of time when John and I were together, but the Fearless Lock is different from his submission, it really is. He lays on top of people and grabbing the front face. The Fearless Lock is a legit submission Shayna (Baszler) gave me. We named it the Fearless Lock because of Fearless Nikki and coming back from my broken neck, I was training a lot with Nattie, Shayna, and Bayley at the PC. I went to an MMA place with Shayna, and she was teaching me legitimate moves. I said, ‘I want to come back from this broken neck with a submission.’ She showed me this and she’s like, ‘Its not at all what John’s is.’ I get the step in makes peole think that, but I’m on the side and how I lock in, you see it. You’re yanking the person back. Raquel was the first person I did it on over six feet tall and it looks a lot different. It felt different. I wasn’t expecting anything with John so when they start chanting, ‘Thank you Cena,’ the old Nikki came alive, ‘Thank me!’ I loved it.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

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Velvet Sky Says She Wasn’t Signed By WWE Because John Laurinaitis Told Her “I Don’t Want My Divas Dating Within The Company”

In a recent response to a fan on Twitter, TNA Hall of Famer Velvet Sky stated that the reason why she was never signed to WWE was due to comments made by former WWE Head of Talent Relation John Laurinaitis during a meeting she had at WWE’s headquarters at the time.

This fan stated “I’m still surprised she didn’t get signed after this she obviously had the look and she put on a pretty good match not to mention she was super young” and Sky responded back stating:

“The reason I didn’t get signed, per right from Johnny Ace’s mouth at our meeting at headquarters when I was told prior to the meeting that I was gonna be signed, was because I was in a long term relationship with one of the talent who worked there at the time, and I was told by Ace that he “didn’t want HIS divas dating within the company.” I chose loyalty to my long term man at the time and got passed up because I wasn’t single. 🥴

Oh well. I had a helluva career at TNA and wouldn’t have changed it for anything. ✌🏼”

The reason I didn’t get signed, per right from Johnny Ace’s mouth at our meeting at headquarters when I was told prior to the meeting that I was gonna be signed, was because I was in a long term relationship with one of the talent who worked there at the time, and I was told by… https://t.co/iI3lrw9NNU

— Velvet Sky (@VelVelHoller) January 1, 2026