John Cena to retire from WWE in 2025, WrestleMania 41 will be his last: 'I'm done'

John Cena is celebrating the end of an era. The 16-time WWE world champion has announced that next year’s WrestleMania will be his last. 

During WWE's Money in the Bank live event on Saturday, Cena made a surprise appearance to thunderous applause from the Toronto crowd. But the cheers quickie turned to boos once the audience realized Cena had come to announce his retirement tour.

Donning a T-shirt that read "The Last Time is Now," he addressed the crowd.

"Why am I here? Tonight, I officially announce my retirement from the WWE," Cena said, prompting a raucous response from attendees. "I hear a mixed opinion out there. Lots of questions, maybe, right?! Like, 'Hey! Why here?' And I want to talk about that here for a second."

After thanking fans for their dedication and support, Cena explained, “Why now? Because it’s 'Money in the Bank,' the ultimate symbol of opportunity. And this farewell does not end tonight — it is filled with opportunities.”

He went on to note that WWE is in the midst of a historic moment, with big changes — including Monday Night Raw moving to Netflix. Cena said that along with all these “firsts,” he would be celebrating plenty of “lasts.”

“The 2025 Royal Rumble will be my last,” Cena said. “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 I compete in.”

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Toward the end of his six-minute speech, Cena became emotional when the audience began a chant of “Thank you, Cena.” He called it an “incredible gesture of kindness” before closing things out.

“I want to say thank you. Thank you so much for letting me play in the house that you built for so many years,” Cena said. “Thank you so much always for your voice because it’s really loud, and your honesty because it’s beautifully brutal.”

Cena signed with WWE back in 2001 and over the course of his 23 years with the franchise, has held the WWE Championship a record of 13 times and the world Heavyweight Championship three times. Outside of wrestling, Cena has found success in Hollywood, beginning with his first starring role in 2006’s The Marine. Since 2018, he has performed only part-time for WWE, while continuing to enjoy success with such films as Bumblebee, Blockers, Argylle, and Barbie, along with roles in the Fast & Furious films and DC Extended Universe. 

In a post-show press conference, Cena clarified that WrestleMania will not be his final match but part of a farewell tour that will hopefully include dozens of dates between January and December 2025, before concluding with his final in-ring match at the end. He added that he would remain part of the WWE in other capacities, despite no longer competing. 

"I’ve always said to the audience that WWE is my home and I love it,” Cena said. “Just because I physically feel I’m at my end, doesn’t mean I need to distance myself from something I love."

Cena also made sure to stress the finality of his farewell.

"People say they’re walking away, and two years later they come back," he noted. "I want to set the record straight right now: I’m done. This is it. If you ever wanted to be a part of this one last time, we’re going to do it as big as we can and we’re fighting everybody and we hope you come enjoy the fun.”

You can watch Cena's full retirement speech above.