John Cena, a 16-time WWE champion, has announced his official retirement from professional wrestling in 2025. Cena, who made his debut in WWE back in 2002, revealed his plans during a surprise appearance at WWE’s Money in the Bank event in Toronto on Saturday, July 6.
At the event, Cena shared with fans that he was there to “officially announce” his retirement from WWE. “This farewell does not end tonight,” he stated. “It is filled with opportunity. Everybody, RAW will make history next year when it moves to Netflix. I’ve never been a part of RAW on Netflix. That is history. That is a first, and I will be there.”
Cena also disclosed his plans to participate in his final Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, and WrestleMania in 2025. “Everybody, I want to say thank you,” he said to the fans. “Thank you so much for letting me play in the house that you built for so many years. Thank you so much always for your voice because it’s really loud, and your honesty, because it’s beautifully brutal.”
During a press conference after Money in the Bank, Cena elaborated on his retirement and “farewell tour.” “It’s not going to end at WrestleMania,” he clarified, referring to the event scheduled for April 2025. “WrestleMania will be my last WrestleMania, but hopefully, if everything goes to plan, we’re going straight through from January to December.”
His 2025 schedule includes a “long list of dates” that will “tentatively” span into the 30s and 40s to mark the end of his “in-ring competition.” Cena also mentioned his continued involvement in WWE even after retiring from competition. “Part of this business plan that I proposed and they accepted was me remaining in the WWE family in some capacity for an extended time to come.”
“I’ve always said to the audience that the WWE is my home and I love it,” Cena explained. “Just because I physically feel I’m at my end doesn’t mean I need to distance myself from something I love.”
Cena had previously hinted at potential retirement plans during an appearance on TODAY in January when asked if he would retire at 50. “That sounds pretty accurate, right? 50 is half of 100,” he remarked. “I love being in the ring, that’s the one thing I wish I could do forever, but the crop of these superstars in there now, the sport is fast, it’s young, and it’s exciting. I got the exciting and enthusiastic part, I don’t have the fast or the young.”
At 47, Cena acknowledged that his wrestling career has been a “big chapter” and a “meaningful one” in his life, but he emphasized that he is “not totally defined” by his work. “I’m ready to do the best I can for the business and I want to create lasting moments for the WWE, but I believe that energy is neither created nor destroyed, so I want to be able to pass that onto the new generation and let them run with it,” he added.
In a January interview with TODAY.com, Cena detailed his retirement plans, stating, “I’m giving myself, like, hey, if you don’t figure it out until (the age of 50), you’re just done. If we don’t come up with something that we can present to our WWE universe as a wave goodbye, if it doesn’t happen by then, I’ll just silently announce it on X or whatever the platform is.”
John Cena’s announcement marks the end of an era in WWE history. His retirement in 2025 will undoubtedly be an emotional and historic event for fans worldwide. As Cena transitions into the next chapter of his career, his legacy and contributions to WWE will continue to inspire future generations of wrestlers and fans alike.
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