WWE legend John Cena has officially retired from professional wrestling, closing the chapter on a historic 24 year in ring career after his final match at the Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Saturday. Cena made his farewell appearance at Saturday Night’s Main Event, where he faced Gunther in his last ever bout.
The 48 year old was defeated after being forced to submit to a sleeper hold in a match that lasted just under 25 minutes, bringing one of the most decorated careers in WWE history to an emotional end. Fans inside the arena watched in disbelief as Gunther relentlessly kept Cena locked in the hold during the closing moments, despite loud chants urging the veteran to keep fighting. When Cena finally tapped out, some supporters were seen in tears.
The ending stunned fans worldwide, as Cena, long known for never tapping out throughout his career, was forced to submit for the first time. After the bell rang, wrestlers from the WWE locker room came out to honour him. Cena then left his wristbands and boots in the ring, a traditional symbol of retirement, before walking up the entrance ramp, turning back to offer a final salute to the crowd and cameras.
Cena retires as a 17 time world champion, the most title reigns recognised by WWE. He headlined WrestleMania six times and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. His iconic You Can’t See Me catchphrase became one of the most recognisable slogans in sports entertainment.
He debuted in WWE in 2002 with a loss to Kurt Angle and initially struggled to establish himself as a singles star. His career took a major turn after he introduced the Doctor of Thuganomics persona, known for freestyle rap promos, which quickly made him a fan favourite. Beyond wrestling, Cena also crossed over successfully into Hollywood, becoming one of the few WWE stars to enjoy sustained success as a film actor.
Cena announced at the Money in the Bank event on July 6 2024 that he would retire from in ring competition at the end of 2025. His retirement tour began at the Royal Rumble in January, where he was eliminated by Jey Uso. He later shocked fans by turning heel for the first time since 2003 at Elimination Chamber on March 1. Cena went on to win his record breaking 17th world title by defeating Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania in April, before dropping the title and abandoning the villain persona at SummerSlam in August.
A tournament was later held to determine Cena’s final opponent, with Gunther emerging as the winner and earning the right to face him at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Speaking after the event, current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes struggled to hold back his emotions as he reflected on Cena’s impact, saying that when something is that good, you never want it to end, adding that Cena did everything the right way, taught countless people, and set an incredibly high standard for the industry.
