WWE legend John Cena, a 16-time world champion and future WWE Hall of Famer, has announced that 2025 will be his final year in the ring.
John Cena, 47, made this revelation during a surprise appearance at the Money in the Bank Pay-Per-View event in Canada. He stated that he will appear on the first RAW episode of the year, WWE's debut on Netflix, the Royal Rumble in February, the Elimination Chamber in March, and finally his last WrestleMania match in Las Vegas at WrestleMania 41.
Cena clarified that WrestleMania 41 won't be his last match; he plans to perform 30-40 more dates before retiring. After his final match, Cena will trade his iconic jorts for suits during his subsequent appearances.
Cena's retirement marks the end of a remarkable 23-year career with WWE's main roster, during which he tied the legendary Ric Flair for the most top title wins with 13 WWE championships and three World Heavyweight titles. Cena transitioned to part-time wrestling in 2018, allowing younger talents to shine. Since then, he's made sporadic appearances, mostly to help boost new talent by taking losses. His most recent match was against Solo Sikoa at Crown Jewel 2023, where he lost after enduring ten Samoan Spikes.
Cena has headlined five WrestleManias, WWE's biggest annual event. However, the past five years have been tough for him. His last WrestleMania win was in 2017, teaming with then-fiancée Nikki Bella to defeat The Miz and Maryse. Since then, he's lost to Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 36, missed WrestleManias 37 and 38, lost to Austin Theory at WrestleMania 39, and made a surprise return to assist Cody Rhodes against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40.
John Cena's WWE journey began in 2001 with Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) as "The Prototype." He debuted on WWE television on June 27, answering Kurt Angle's open challenge. Cena's "Doctor of Thuganomics" persona, characterized by his heel turn and freestyle raps, saw him win the US Championship at WrestleMania 20 by defeating The Big Show. A year later, he captured his first WWE title at WrestleMania 21, kicking off a 15-year reign as WWE's face.
Cena has faced many WWE legends, including Triple H, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Kurt Angle, Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, and Edge. Notable victories include beating Triple H and Shawn Michaels at consecutive WrestleManias in 2006 and 2007. In 2012, Cena battled Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at WrestleMania 28 in a match billed as "Once in a Lifetime," though they faced off again the next year.
Despite going part-time in 2018, Cena was involved in several significant storylines. In 2021, he feuded with Roman Reigns, culminating in a match at SummerSlam where Reigns emerged victorious. Last year, Cena embarked on a farewell tour, appearing on Smackdown for seven consecutive weeks. He served as a special referee, partnered with Seth Rollins and LA Knight in tag-team matches, and faced various opponents.
Cena, who hasn't won a singles match since 2018, had been hinting at retirement for the past two years before making it official. Known for the tagline "My Time is Now," he appeared in Montreal's Scotiabank Arena wearing a "The Last Time is Now" shirt before announcing his retirement. Post-retirement, Cena is expected to focus on his growing movie career, having starred in films like "The Peacemaker," "Fast & Furious F9," "Suicide Squad," "Bumblebee," and "Hidden Strike" with Jackie Chan.
Tags: Global Sports, John Cena Retirement, WrestleMania 41, WWE Legends, WWE History, John Cena Career Highlights,
Tags: Global Sports, John Cena Retirement, WrestleMania 41, WWE Legends, WWE History, John Cena Career Highlights,