17-Time World Champion John Cena Had A 4-Word Warning for Two WWE Divas
A former WWE Diva has revealed the backstage advice John Cena gave her and AJ Lee after the pair ignored instructions during a pay-per-view match. Years later, the story offers a rare look at how things worked behind the scenes.
One of the biggest compliments a WWE performer can get is praise from John Cena, and one of the quickest ways to get noticed is to cut into his match time. For Kaitlyn and AJ Lee, both things happened on the same night. A decade after WWE Payback 2013, Kaitlyn looked back on a moment that could have gone very differently backstage. During a recent appearance on Rewind Recap Relive, she shared how she and AJ Lee made a decision in the middle of their match that went directly against what they had been told.
Why AJ Lee and Kaitlyn Ignored the Call to End Their Match
According to Kaitlyn, the issue started when instructions came from ringside telling them to wrap things up earlier than planned.
She explained that time cuts weren't unusual back then. If earlier matches ran long, adjustments had to be made elsewhere on the card. This time, though, AJ Lee wasn't interested in shortening the story they wanted to tell in the ring.
Kaitlyn remembered both women being down on the mat selling when the message arrived. AJ reportedly suggested they keep going anyway. Kaitlyn agreed, and the match continued despite the request to head home.
That decision pushed them beyond their allotted time on a pay-per-view event.
The Unexpected Person Waiting Behind the Curtain
The consequences became obvious as soon as they returned backstage. Their extra time had come out of the next match's slot, and the next match belonged to John Cena.
Cena was already in the gorilla position, preparing for his appearance, when Kaitlyn and AJ Lee walked through the curtain. Kaitlyn recalled Cena delivering a short message that stuck with her years later. "Never do that again, but great match."
The comment managed to do two things at once. It acknowledged that they had crossed a line while also recognising the work they had done in the ring.
AJ Lee Learned What It Was Like to Be Against John Cena
During an appearance on iHeart Women's Sports, Lee also spoke about a completely different experience involving the longtime WWE star. At the time, she was part of a storyline with Cena, putting her directly opposite one of the company's most popular babyfaces.
Lee recalled receiving negative responses from fans after turning on Cena, including an encounter involving a child and his father. She said she never took the criticism personally, but it did show her just how strongly WWE audiences supported Cena during that period.
A Snapshot of a Different WWE Era
Kaitlyn described an environment where talent generally followed instructions without debate, especially when timing decisions were involved. Going beyond an assigned slot on a premium live event was viewed as something performers simply did not do.
That is what made the Payback incident memorable for her to still be talking about it years later. The match itself earned praise from one of WWE's biggest stars, but the lesson that came with it was just as memorable.