When Seth Rollins and John Cena were announced for a match for Superstar Spectacle as teammates in a non-title – obviously – tag match with the non-Gunther members of Imperium, it turned more than a few heads around the WWE Universe.

Sure, as things presently stand, Rollins and Cena are both Babyfaces, and most recently tagged together in a trios match alongside Finn Balor versus Bobby Lashley, Dean Ambrose, and Drew McIntyre, but why waste two of the top stars in the promotion in a tag match together? It's not like Cena can't still go, as he worked an 11-minute match with Austin Theory at WrestleMania 39 to a largely positive reaction from the crowd. I get not wanting to “waste” a Rollins-Cena match on a show that wasn't being broadcast on Peacock, but sheesh, what gives?

Well, as Rollins looks at it, the idea of pairing himself up with Cena had more to do with giving the fans in India an incredible show than advancing storylines, as the fans in the G. M. C. Balayogi Indoor Stadium in Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana, India, were beyond excited to see “The Face That Runs the Place” in person.

“Look, getting to India and back was about 50 hours in the air. It was a lot of travel, and we were there on the ground for less than 24 hours. So it was a lot of travel for one show. A lot of people asked me, ‘How was it? What was it like for you?' I said if the crowd wasn't the most electric crowd I've ever been in front of, I wouldn't consider going back because if the travel schedule for one show. But they made it so worth it,” Seth Rollins said on The Bump via Wrestle Zone.

“It was truly an incredible experience. I was in the ring, they're singing my song, they start chanting for Cena. I'm in the ring when John's music hit. I'm getting goosebumps right now just talking about it. It was the loudest reaction I've ever heard. I've been in front of full stadiums, packed houses, 75,000 people. This place was rabid. When he threw his shirt into the crowd, there was a fight over his shirt. It was unbelievable.”

Is Cena still incredibly popular? Yes, in a weird twist of fate, Cena has suddenly found himself near-universally beloved for the first time in his professional career, with the typical “Cena Sucks” chants from earlier in his run largely silenced by a fanbase privy to just how much gas he has left in the tank. And for fans in India, where Cena has never wrestled before? Well, his popularity created one of the loudest moments of Rollins' career, which, considering the chorus he employs on his way to the ring every single night, is saying something.

Seth Rollins celebrates John Cena's impact on his career.

Continuing his conversation with Matt Camp and Megan Morant about John Cena's appearance in India, Seth Rollins discussed his own relationship with the leader of CeNation and why he truly is “The GOAT” of this or any generation.

“John and I have been through a lot together. We've had our ups and downs, but I truly believe he's a good friend of mine. He's a mentor, he's someone that I appreciate as a friend and as a person. So it was an honor for me to be there and team with him,” Rollins said.

“I don't know if we're ever gonna get the opportunity to do that again. John's made it very public that the end is near for him, so I was very happy to get that opportunity to share the ring with him and watch him do his thing. He truly is one of the greatest of all time.”

Over his professional wrestling career, Rollins has shared the ring with Cena on 151 occasions, according to Cagematch. They've wrestled together, they've wrestled against each other, they've worked house shows, they've wrestled for title matches in main events of Premium Live Events, and through it all, they've done their best to serve as true ambassadors for WWE, even if Rollins didn't always do it as a “good guy.” With Cena's career, by his own admission, rapidly winding down, the challenge now falls on the likes of Rollins and the next generation of WWE Superstars to take up his spot and become the new faces of the promotion. Fortunately, as the self-proclaimed “Workhorse” WWE World Heavyweight Champion, it looks like Rollins is ready to take up the mantle.