Wrestling Legend John Cena Announces Retirement After 25 Years in the Ring

 Professional wrestling champion John Cena, who enjoys immense popularity worldwide, has officially announced 2025 as his final year, bidding farewell to his nearly 25-year career. Cena first revealed this during the 2024 'Money in the Bank' tournament held in Toronto, and it has been confirmed that his final match is scheduled for December 13, following a special farewell tour throughout 2025. This farewell program will include major tournaments such as the 2025 Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, and WrestleMania 41, with Cena planning to participate in 30 to 40 active matches during 2025.

His final match will take place during a special 'Saturday Night’s Main Event' program at the Capital One Arena in Washington D.C., as announced by WWE in collaboration with NBC/Peacock and Events DC. This match is being promoted as the definitive end of his professional wrestling career, with many media reports confirming that he will not re-enter the ring as a competitor after this event. As Cena himself has stated, he wants to make this retirement permanent, safeguarding audience trust, and has no intention of competing again after December 2025.

John Cena, who entered the WWE mainstream in 2002 under the "Ruthless Aggression" theme, responding to an open challenge from Kurt Angle, has since set numerous unparalleled records over more than two decades. Winning the World Championship 17 times, surpassing Ric Flair's record, is considered a golden milestone in his career, with many calling his victory against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41 the crowning achievement of his athletic journey. Starting as the "Doctor of Thuganomics" and later becoming the face of WWE, Cena solidified his superstar status by defeating JBL at WrestleMania 21 to win his first WWE Championship.

Throughout his career, matches against giants like Edge, CM Punk, Brock Lesnar, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson have become indelible memories in history. Notably, the 2011 'Money in the Bank' match in Chicago and the two consecutive WrestleMania main events against The Rock are marked as exceptional moments in wrestling history. Furthermore, his unexpected return and victory at the 2008 Royal Rumble after a serious injury, and the open challenge series for the United States Championship (US Title) in 2015, were highly appreciated by fans. More recently, his heel turn at the 2025 Elimination Chamber tournament and his conflict with Cody Rhodes are considered major events of his final period.

Even after retiring from his athletic career, Cena has no intention of completely severing ties with WWE. He has stated that he will continue to be involved with the company in the future, either as an advisor or through other on-screen roles. Following his retirement announcement, fans worldwide have reacted with strong emotions, with many compelled to honor him by chanting "Thank you, Cena." Social media and mainstream media reports indicate that even those who criticized him over the years are now appreciating his contributions during this final farewell.