John Cena Announces Retirement Plans for 2025

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JOHN CENA IS retiring. The WWE megastar announced his plans at WWE Money in the Bank live event in Toronto, Canada over the weekend. The 16-time WWE champion entered the ring wearing a shirt that read, “The last time is now.”

“Tonight, I officially announce my retirement from the WWE,” he said. “Along with history-making firsts, we are going to build so many unforgettable lasts. The 2025 Royal Rumble will be my last. The 2025 Elimination Chamber will be my last. And I’m here tonight to announce that in Las Vegas, WrestleMania 2025 will be the last WrestleMania I compete in.”

Cena, who appeared on the Men’s Health cover in 2016, started his WWE career way back in 2001, but has only wrestled part-time since 2018, in part because his Hollywood acting career has blossomed. He’s played a key role in the Fast and the Furious franchise, played Peacemaker, a DC anti-hero, in both The Suicide Squad and a series on Max, and most recently had a cameo in The Bear. But the WWE will always be “his home,” Cena said in a press conference after his Money in the Bank announcement. “I look forward to ending my participation in the ring in the best way that I can, and being a member of the WWE extended family for quite some time,” he said.

Cena’s farewell tour before his retirement will give fans a chance to see him step into the ring a couple more times before he parts ways with the sport. Though he stated that the upcoming WrestleMania in April 2025 will be his last, he also mentioned plans to participate in 30-40 matches in 2025.