John Cena has finally revealed the real reason behind his WWE retirement, saying it goes beyond physical limitations. In a candid interview with Stephanie McMahon, Cena shared that while he remains in impressive shape, maintaining a full-time WWE schedule would come at a cost he’s no longer willing to pay.
“A schedule like I was doing in 2013 would destroy me right now,” Cena admitted. “It will ruin me and ruin my relationship, and that’s the tip of my spear. So I gotta close a chapter, that’s it.”
This attitude marks a dramatic departure from the workaholic persona that carried Cena to the very top of the wrestling world. When Cena was at the very top, it inevitably caused his personal life to diminish in favor of his wrestling role.
“I remember in like 2008. Sat down, dinner with my ex-wife, phone call. ‘We need you here, boss. There’s a plane waiting for you.’ See you… I literally threw some cash at my ex-wife and caught a plane to the next event.”
Older and wiser, Cena says his priorities have shifted completely. As the WWE icon marks five years marrie to his current wife Shay, John knows what’s important to him now.
“I am here to live life. I am here to acknowledge the greatest gift that I have been awarded. Of all the privilege and gift I have been awarded in my life, the greatest gift is waking up. And that is the tip of my spear. And right below that is my bride.”
John spent over a decade and a half of his life with pro wrestling as the tip of his spear. While the 17-time World Champion is ready for a life with wrestling in his past, he doesn’t regret the decisions he made.
“I don’t regret any of that. I feel good that I can reflect on a mini moment like that — when I literally threw some cash at my ex-wife and caught a plane to the next event. I don’t regret anything. I wasn’t forced to do that. I did it under my own duress.”
Today, Cena is guided on a different path. As he prepares to wind down his time in the ring, Cena’s focus isn’t on personal glory, but sharing this final lap with those nearest and dearest.
“From the way I push my chips into this, it is tough to carry people along with you. It’s like, they need to ride the Wave . They can’t run next to you — and that’s just me.”
Cena faces questions regularly about his retirement, and ended by reiterating that he is not surrendering to his age. Instead, this is a thought transition for what matters most.
“‘Why are you choosing to hang it up? You’re in shape. Life is good. You look good, you can still jump high, move fast.’ It will ruin me and ruin my relationship, and that’s the tip of my spear.”
John’s next match will come at WWE SummerSlam, where he will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes. With his number of appearances winding down, Cena is ready to end his career on his own terms.