John Cena kicked off his farewell tour during the historic WWE Raw on Netflix, during which he declared himself for the Men’s Royal Rumble match. At the post-show press conference, the 16-time WWE World Champion shared his intentions for his final year in the ring to be a celebration of all facets of his wrestling journey.
“Hopefully, by the end of all this, if you want to see a certain facet of the 23 years I’ve been in the business, hopefully you can get that little sprinkle.”
Over the years, Cena has embodied numerous personas, beginning as ‘The Prototype’ in OVW before making his main roster debut on SmackDown in June 2002. After a rocky start as a generic babyface, he found his footing as the brash Doctor of Thuganomics, eventually evolving his character into the multifaceted performer fans know today.
When asked if his role as Peacemaker might make a surprise appearance during his farewell tour, Cena acknowledged the character is owned by DC Comics but added, “never say never.”
While John’s days in the ring are numbered, the WWE icon remains fiercely loyal to the promotion that thrust him to superstardom. On the press conference, Cena made clear that his ‘farewell’ to the ring will not be a goodbye to WWE.
“I’m going to retire, but they will have to fire to get me to stop being a part of this place.”
John Cena is slated to participate in major WWE events throughout 2025, including the Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, and WrestleMania 41, before officially retiring from in-ring competition. Fans can look forward to an emotional year ahead as one of WWE’s greatest icons bids farewell to the squared circle.
John Cena’s Retirement Tour: Stars Vying to be a Final Opponent
