John Cena has officially set an end date for his legendary in-ring career, confirming that he will stop competing in December 2025. The announcement came during an appearance on The Breakfast Club, where Cena explained the decision was based on the physical demands of performing.
“Well, I’m retiring this year from competition. In December, I will be done,” Cena stated. “As a live performer, gosh, that going out there in front of 15,000 people and having them crazy for you is a pretty nice feeling. It’s just the physical toll. I can barely hang on right now. Like, I have certainly lost a step, and I promised myself and I made accountable promises to the fanbase that when I get a step slower, I’m stepping out of the door.”
While his days as an active competitor are numbered, Cena made it clear that he is not leaving the company. Following his retirement from the ring, he will transition into a new capacity as a WWE ambassador, cementing his lifelong connection to the promotion.
“Our last match will be in December, and that’s going to be the door shutting on me,” he explained. “Now, I will be an ambassador for the company because my life isn’t the same without them. I love the WWE. I love the reach that they have. I love its fan base. So, I’ll never not have wrestling in my life.”
This real-life countdown adds significant weight to his current on-screen narrative as the Undisputed WWE Champion. Cena’s final run has seen him adopt a heel persona, vowing to “ruin wrestling” by retiring with the championship. This storyline will see a pivotal chapter at Night of Champions on Saturday, June 28, where he is set to defend the title against his historic rival, CM Punk.
The match, billed as potentially the final encounter between the two, is framed by Cena himself as “One last dance.” It represents his last scheduled performance in Saudi Arabia and his final appearance at a Night of Champions event. The narrative pits Punk as the hero attempting to prevent Cena from leaving the sport with its top prize, a story that reignites their iconic rivalry from over a decade ago. The winner is expected to carry the championship into a main event match at SummerSlam in August, making the stakes for Cena’s farewell tour immediately significant.