John Cena has revealed that he entered his Firefly Fun House match against Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 36 genuinely believing it could be the final match of his professional wrestling career.
Speaking with Alistair McGeorge of Metro, Cena explained that the unusual cinematic match was designed in a way that allowed him to view it as an ending to his WWE career. “Honestly, no kidding. I thought the Firefly Fun House was going to be the last match of my career. I really did think that the Firefly Fun House match was going to be the tail end,” Cena said. “That was kind of a meta journey for me through facing all of my demons, and then letting go.”
The Firefly Fun House match aired on the second night of WrestleMania 36 on April 5, 2020, with the event taking place without a live audience at the WWE Performance Center during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was one of two cinematic matches presented that weekend, alongside The Undertaker and AJ Styles’ Boneyard Match from the previous night. Rather than being structured as a conventional wrestling match, Cena and Wyatt revisited numerous moments and themes from Cena’s career.
The presentation included a recreation of Cena’s famous 2002 “Ruthless Aggression” introduction, references to Hulk Hogan and Saturday Night’s Main Event, and a return to Wyatt’s original cult-leader persona from their WrestleMania 30 rivalry. Another sequence revisited the moment Wyatt offered Cena a steel chair during their 2014 feud, while the final portion placed Cena in the nWo with Wyatt portraying an Eric Bischoff-inspired character.
Footage of some of Cena’s most significant defeats, including losses involving The Miz, CM Punk, Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns, was also incorporated into the presentation. The match ultimately ended with Wyatt’s Fiend character pinning Cena before Cena disappeared entirely from the frame. Cena wouldn’t wrestle again for approximately 16 months, eventually returning to WWE at Money in the Bank in July 2021.
At the time, the deeply personal nature of the Firefly Fun House match led to considerable speculation that it had been designed as a potential retirement story. Cena didn’t confirm that interpretation following WrestleMania, instead describing the presentation as something intended to leave viewers with questions and encourage repeated viewing.
The match ultimately became one of the most distinctive performances of Wyatt’s career. Wyatt passed away in August 2023 at the age of 36, making the Firefly Fun House match the final major creative collaboration between Cena and the former WWE Champion.
Despite Cena believing it might mark the end, his career ultimately continued for another five-and-a-half years. Cena announced at Money in the Bank 2024 that 2025 would be his final year as an active wrestler. His farewell tour included a heel turn and another run with the Undisputed WWE Championship before he competed in his final match on December 13, 2025 at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, submitting to Gunther.
Cena has remained connected to WWE in an ambassador role since retiring. He hosted WrestleMania 42 in April and later announced the John Cena Classic at Backlash in May. More than six years after the Firefly Fun House match aired, Cena’s latest comments now confirm just how seriously he viewed the possibility that his surreal encounter with Wyatt could have served as the final chapter of his in-ring career.
