John Cena has officially declared his retirement from World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The announcement came as a surprise to fans during his appearance at the WWE Money in the Bank event in Canada.
At 47 years old and having transitioned into acting 18 years ago, Cena revealed that his final in-ring competition will be part of a farewell tour in 2025.
Throughout his career since joining WWE in 2001, Cena has been widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, having achieved world champion status 16 times.
“Tonight I announce my retirement from WWE,” Cena told fans in Toronto, eliciting surprise and a chant of “thank you Cena” from the crowd.
Wearing a t-shirt bearing the words “The Last Time is Now” and his trademark denim shorts, he expressed gratitude to WWE fans for their support over the years, referring to WWE as “the house that you built.”
In a subsequent press conference, Cena indicated his intention to remain connected to WWE in some capacity despite feeling “physically at my end.”
Since his acting debut in 2006 with The Marine, Cena has appeared in major films such as The Suicide Squad, Fast & Furious 9, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. His acting career has led to part-time appearances in WWE since 2018.
Earlier this year, Cena made headlines for a memorable Academy Awards skit where he appeared nearly nude, save for a strategically placed envelope.
