John Cena Declares Randy Orton the "Shawn Michaels of Our Era"

In a newly released video on WWE's official YouTube channel, John Cena delves deep into some of his most memorable matches, setting the stage for his upcoming encounter with Solo Sikoa this Saturday at the Crown Jewel Premium Live Event (PLE).

On His Match with Bray Wyatt at Payback 2014:

Cena had high praise for Bray Wyatt, noting, "I really enjoyed performing with Bray. We were cut from the same cloth in that regard. Both storytellers and both wanting to do bizarre things." Cena lauded their creative approach to wrestling, referencing unconventional elements like "the child at the door of the cage" and "The Firefly Funhouse match." He added that their matches often utilized more than just the ring, pushing boundaries by making the entire arena a canvas for their story-telling.

"I really enjoyed performing with Bray. We were cut from the same cloth in that regard. Both storytellers and both wanting to do bizarre things. And I think we've all we, him and I have always tried to do. Different things, and we've embraced each other's creativity. Using the child at the door of the cage. The Firefly Funhouse match. Those are ideas that come from a unique individual..."

On His Bragging Rights 2009 Match with Randy Orton:

John Cena described his Iron Man match with Randy Orton as one of a kind, stating, “Anytime I can get in there with Randy is great. He and I fit together well and we work together well and I love working with him." Cena spoke about the unique dynamic of their Iron Man match, including the use of various stipulations to keep the audience engaged.

“I think the great thing about an Iron Man match is you can have the luxury of a three count. The three count can elicit excitement. So if people aren't interested. You can give them a pinfall..."

He lauded Orton's wrestling acumen, drawing a comparison with WWE legend Shawn Michaels, and highlighted Orton’s impeccable timing and ability to evoke emotion.

"Randy is my generation's Shawn Michaels. He has an understanding of nuance and how important it is. He has the best timing of anybody. Like he's always there, he's never late. He shows emotion as a performer. He's incredible. He makes difficult look simple."