WWE Champion John Cena now wants to retire from professional wrestling in 2025, after twenty years of service in the ring.
The wrestler-turned-actor gave an emotional speech to a stadium of World Wrestling Entertainment fans in Toronto, Canada, who booed in disappointment as Cena told the public that the 2025 season would be his last.
He threw in a final tour of dozens of dates and one epic final fight, topped off with reassurance that he would remain involved with the wrestling franchise that launched his career.
“Thank you so much for letting me play in the house that you built for so many years,” Cena told the crowd.
The 16-time world champion was in attendance at WWE Money in the Bank in Toronto and told the crowd that he would be retiring from the sport in 2025.
He told the crowd that the 2025 Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, and WrestleMania 41 would be his last in Las Vegas.
The WWE legend added, “I’ve been in WWE for over two decades now, and in that time I’ve seen some incredible waves of prosperity like we got right now.“.
“WWE is the hottest ticket in town, no doubt, but I have got to a point also where true hardship—when no one wants to know your name, nobody wants to be your friend, and only the most dedicated and hardcore fans stand by your side.”
Toll toll of “You can’t see me” added he wants to be a part of it when Monday Night Raw makes the highly anticipated move to Netflix in January.
Speaking after the event, John Cena told reporters that he feels “physically at my end,” but to him, that doesn’t mean he needs to step away from the sport he loves.
The 16-time champion in WWE broke into the company in 2002.
Since 2018, he’d been working a more part-time role with the company as he looked to begin his movie career in earnest.
John Cena had a starring role in the films “Blockers” and “The Suicide Squad.”.
He has appeared numerous times in the “Fast & Furious” franchise and recently appeared in the comedy-thriller “Argylle” and the box office hit “Barbie.”.