John Cena to retire from WWE after WrestleMania 2025

After a career spanning over 23 years, John Cena is getting ready to make his final appearance in the wrestling ring.

Making a surprise appearance at Saturday's Money in the Bank event in Toronto, Canada, the wrestler who holds the record with 16 world championships announced his retirement from WWE after WrestleMania 2025.

While Cena has often shown a towel emblazoned with "never give up" in the past, this occasion saw him carrying one that said, “The last time is now.”

“Why am I here? Tonight, I officially announce my retirement from the WWE,” he stated, eliciting surprised reactions from the audience.

Later in his address, Cena disclosed his intention to continue participating in Monday Night Raw as it transitions to Netflix in January 2025, marking an unprecedented move.

“This farewell, it does not end tonight,” he stated. “It is filled with opportunity. Everybody, Raw makes history next year when it moves to Netflix. I’ve never been a part of Raw on Netflix, that is history. That is a first, and I will be there.”

“And along with that history making first, 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,” continued Cena.

Despite initial boos from the crowd, they quickly transitioned to chanting "thank you, Cena," to which he responded with gratitude of his own.

“Thank you so much for letting me play in the house that you built for so many years,” said Cena.

“Thank you so much always for your voice, because it’s really loud, and your honesty, because it’s beautifully brutal. And most of all, thank you so much for allowing me to be with you here tonight to let the whole world know that we are planning something unforgettable, which also involves me returning to Toronto to kick some ass!”

Cena joined WWE in 2001 and transitioned to a part-time role since 2018, focusing more on his acting career in films like Daddy’s Home (2015), Blockers (2018), The Suicide Squad (2021), and his HBO Max series spin-off, Peacemaker.