John Cena, the most popular wrestler in WWE history, takes his final bow as he officially retires from the ring.
American actor and wrestler John Cena fought the final fight of his 16-match retirement tournament in Washington on Saturday evening, December 13, 2025, ending an illustrious 24-year career that saw him become one of the biggest and most recognizable stars in wrestling.
The 48-year-old previously announced his retirement in July 2024, telling fans at the time that his “body is hurting” and “crying out to close the chapter.”
However, it has been confirmed that he will remain part of the WWE family after signing a five-year deal to become an ambassador.
Fans gave Cena a standing ovation at the end of Saturday’s match and he left the ring for the final time to thunderous applause.
It was the first time in twenty years that he had been forced to tap out.
John Cena’s last match
The legend left fans furious when John Cena’s WWE career ended in controversy.
In wrestling, there is an unwritten rule that all wrestlers must lose in their retirement match.
On Saturday night, fans witnessed it again after John Cena lost his final match to Gunther, who ended his career in a classic match and sent a message to the rest of the locker room: “I am and will be a legend.”
The professional Australian wrestler wasn’t wrong, as in the space of six months he ended the careers of Goldberg and John Cena; two megastars of this entertainment sport and a situation that we do not believe will repeat itself in the coming years.
The emotional retirement match saw Cena take on Gunther in front of a crowd of nearly 20,000 people at the Capital One Arena, which aired on WWE’s official YouTube channel.
Cena said before the match, “This is for real; we’re going down swinging. Stu, let’s go to work one last time.”
Cena takes a final bow
As he walked up the driveway for the last time, he gave one final greeting and said to the camera, “It has been a pleasure serving you all these years. Thank you.”
The crowd in Washington, DC absolutely exploded as Cena made his entrance as an active wrestler for the final time.
Cena went outside the ring to shake hands with several WWE legends in attendance, including Kurt Angle, Kevin Owens, Booker T, Trish Stratus and Rob Van Dam.
Cody Rhodes and CM Punk came out with some WWE officials and presented Cena with their championship belts after the match.
Most of the roster entered the arena and surrounded the ring to celebrate Cena and his legendary career.
Kudos to the champion
Tributes poured in from colleagues immediately after the bell, led by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Cena’s old rival wrote on social media: “John, the time has come. We have shed blood, torn tendons and broken records.”
“What I love most is that you are a good person. Have fun. You are the GOAT.”
The defeat was an ironic end to an iconic career.
The official account of WWE posted a video of the wrestling titan leaving the arena for the very last time, posting: “One final goodbye. Thank you, John Cena.”
John is an American actor, rapper and professional retired wrestler who is a 17-time world champion and currently serves as a brand ambassador for WWE.
