During a fiery appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, John Cena not only confirmed his WWE retirement plans but issued his boldest declaration yet: he intends to end WWE tradition on his own terms by walking away as the final Undisputed WWE Champion.
Following his history-making 17th world title win at WrestleMania 41, Cena dismissed speculation that his “ruin wrestling” remarks were merely a storyline dig. Instead, he leaned in further:
“I’m just going to shut it down. That’s all. There’s going to be a show. Everybody’s replaceable. There’s always another show. I’m going to make wrestling start over,” Cena said. “That championship is coming home with me, and I will be the last Undisputed WWE Champion, period. They’re going to have to make a new title.”
“Whether it’s Cody Rhodes, Dirty Dom, Logan Paul, or Bron Breakker — whoever becomes champion after me, they’ll be the first of the new era. But my reign ends the one that began with Bruno, Hogan, Austin, Rock, HBK, Taker, Triple H, and everyone else. I’ve earned that, and I’m going to put my stamp on the business by taking that piece of it home with me.”
Cena’s statements paint a dramatic picture of his final run — not just as a retirement tour, but as a calculated, legacy-defining mission.
He also confirmed his in-ring retirement will be final:
“I’m not saying there’s never going to be another show. Of course, there is. You guys will be here next year without me,” he said. “I’m cool in closing this chapter of my life. It’s one piece I’m taking home with me — so you guys can figure out how you want to do it from here on out. Because you’re not the same folks I came in with. Period.”
Cena’s official retirement tour is set to run through December 2025, and he has repeatedly emphasized that no offer from any company will convince him to return after that.
As his farewell story continues to unfold on WWE television, one thing is clear: John Cena plans to leave the industry changed forever—whether the fans like it or not.
Stay with PWMania.com for more exclusive coverage of Cena’s final run and fallout from WrestleMania 41.
