As announced during the 2024 WWE Money in the Bank premium live event, John Cena will officially retire from wrestling in 2025. Now, the 16-time world champion has offered more insight into his decision during an appearance on “Stephanie’s Places.”
Cena opened up about the physical toll his body has taken and how training no longer brings the same joy due to his limitations.
“By continuously coming here [to his personal gym] and being disappointed and then asking myself the question of this place usually makes me feel good, ‘Why do I feel bad?’” Cena explained. “And it was because I’m surrounded by pictures, by numbers… I can’t even do those lifts anymore because my body’s so beat up.”
Cena said it took time to accept that his peak physical abilities are behind him, and likened the realization to his wrestling career:
“As soon as I got through that jagged pill of like, ‘Oh man, I am never gonna overhead press 374 pounds ever again, but let’s work to see what the best I can for today is,’ it’s a very similar course to WWE.”
He continued, candidly stating:
“My skills are on regress. If I continue at a full-time physical capability or involvement, I’m not going to run right, and my partner is not going to run right, and our relationship isn’t going to run right. ‘Sorry, kid. It’s time. It’s time to close this chapter.’”
Despite wishing he could continue, Cena noted that he pitched the idea of a true farewell run, and WWE saw both the emotional and business value:
“I wish I was 18. I wish I felt great… I had to pitch this idea, a real wrestling farewell, and hoping that they would see the business in it, and they were like, ‘Uh yes, this is going to be good.’”
As WWE begins building toward Cena’s final year in the ring, fans can expect a memorable send-off for one of the greatest to ever lace up a pair of boots.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more on John Cena’s farewell and his final matches in WWE.
