After greater than 23 years, John Cena is making ready to step into the ring for the final time.
Throughout a shock look at Saturday’s Cash within the Financial institution in Toronto, Canada, the 16-time world champion wrestler introduced he’s retiring from the WWE following WrestleMania 2025.
Though Cena has been recognized to show a towel that reads “by no means quit” over time, this time he got here out with one which learn, “The final time is now.”
“Why am I right here? Tonight, I formally announce my retirement from the WWE,” he mentioned to shocked gasps from the viewers.
Later in his speech, Cena revealed he plans to remain on to participate in Monday Evening Uncooked because it makes the unprecedented transfer to Netflix in January 2025.
John Cena on ‘SmackDown’
WWE
“This farewell, it doesn’t finish tonight,” he mentioned. “It’s stuffed with alternative. Everyone, Uncooked makes historical past subsequent yr when it strikes to Netflix. I’ve by no means been part of Uncooked on Netflix, that’s historical past. That could be a first, and I might be there.
“And together with that historical past making first, we’re going to construct so many unforgettable lasts. The 2025 Royal Rumble might be my final. The 2025 Elimination Chamber might be my final. And I’m right here tonight to announce that in Las Vegas, WrestleMania 2025 would be the final WrestleMania I compete in,” added Cena.
Though the group booed on the information, they quickly started chanting “thanks Cena,” to which he responded along with his personal appreciation.
“Thanks a lot for letting me play in the home that you just constructed for therefore a few years,” mentioned Cena. “Thanks a lot all the time to your voice, as a result of it’s actually loud, and your honesty, as a result of it’s fantastically brutal. And most of all, thanks a lot for permitting me to be with you right here tonight to let the entire world know that we’re planning one thing unforgettable, which additionally includes me returning to Toronto to kick some ass!”
Cena signed to the WWE in 2001, chopping again to part-time since 2018 as he has continued to develop his appearing profession in such motion pictures as Daddy’s House (2015), Blockers (2018), The Suicide Squad (2021) and his HBO Max sequence spin-off Peacemaker.