US wrestling superstar and actor John Cena announced retirement from in-ring competition in 2025, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) said in a post on social media platform X on Saturday.
“John Cena announces retirement from in-ring competition, stating that WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas will be his last,” WWE said.
The wrestling superstar surprised everyone with the announcement during his appearance at the WWE Money in the Bank event in Canada.
“Tonight I officially announce my retirement from the WWE,” he told the audience in Toronto.
“What an incredible gesture of kindness,” he said as fans chanted “thank you Cena”.
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Donning a t-shirt emblazoned with the words “The Last Time is Now” John Cena thanked WWE fans for “letting me play in the house that you built for so many years”.
However, he later said that he intended to remain part of the WWE family in some capacity.
Regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, he achieved world champion status 16 times since joining WWE in 2001.
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His retirement came months after he revealed that he had decided the timeframe for retiring from professional wrestling.
During an interview in January this year, John Cena said that his time for retiring from in-ring competition is “coming soon.”
“That’s not a maybe,” he was quoted saying in an IGN report. “That time is gonna come, and it’s gonna come soon.”
Along with becoming 16-time world champion, his Hollywood acting career is just as versatile as his wrestling career.
He made his debut in ‘The Marine‘ and went on to work in hit films ‘Bumblebee,’ ‘Fast 9,’ ‘The Suicide Squad,’ ‘Fast X,’ ‘Barbie,’ ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.’
