John Cena fights back tears as crowd honours him during final Raw appearance

John Cena held back tears at Madison Square Garden after the crowd erupted in “Thank you Cena” chants

In a poignant moment that resonated deeply with fans and the wrestling world alike, John Cena made what appears to be his final appearance on the red brand of the WWE with a powerful and emotional send-off. At Madison Square Garden, the 16-time world champion paused to reflect on his storied career while the audience broke into a thunderous chorus of “Thank you Cena” as his legacy was remembered in real time.

Cena addressed the crowd, his voice laden with appreciation and a sense of finality. In his remarks ahead of the show, he had asked fans to chant either “Let’s go Cena” or “Cena sucks” one last time for him, embracing both sides of his enduring relationship with the audience. As the chants filled the arena, the emotion took hold and signs of tears were visible as Cena composed himself in the ring.

The night was not just about sparks of sentiment; it also delivered action. Cena teamed with legends Rey Mysterio and Sheamus to take on members of The Judgment Day in a six-man tag match that brought crowd favourites and signature moves. The trio’s victory served as a fitting capstone to Cena’s Raw tenure. Amid the victory and pageantry, the atmosphere carried the weight of transition. While Cena’s final-in-ring moment has yet to arrive, the night marked a symbolic closure of a major chapter in his career. The WWE universe responded with online tributes, videos of the crowd chants spreading across social media and fan posts reminiscing about what Cena meant to them, some highlighting how rare it is to see such vulnerability from a performer of his stature. On X, one user simply wrote, “Never seen him like this, raw emotion from a man used to being invincible.”

For Cena this is not the end of his journey but a shift. He has announced that this will be his last regular Raw appearance, and speculation now turns to upcoming pay-per-view events and his final match. The emotional send-off in New York will long be remembered as the moment Cena laid bare his gratitude, his history and his respect for the fans.