After 24 years of being the face that runs the place, John Cena has officially hung up his boots. The 17-time World Champion tapped out to Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington D.C., marking the end of one of the most legendary careers in wrestling history. And honestly? It was the perfect send-off.
It’s over.
Gunther taps out John Cena. pic.twitter.com/0O2lTpl3p1
— WWE (@WWE) December 14, 2025
The last time is now
Cena first announced his retirement plans back in July 2024 at Money in the Bank in Toronto, promising fans a year-long farewell tour throughout 2025. True to his word, he delivered an emotional rollercoaster of a final year that WWE Universe won’t soon forget.
His retirement tour kicked off at the Royal Rumble in January, where he came up short against Jey Uso. But things got really interesting at Elimination Chamber in March when Cena shocked everyone by turning heel for the first time since 2003. Working alongside The Rock and Travis Scott, he beat down Cody Rhodes to earn his WrestleMania shot. At WrestleMania 41 in April, Cena defeated Rhodes to capture his record-breaking 17th world championship, cementing his status as the most decorated champion in WWE history.
The heel run was brief though. By SummerSlam in August, Cena had returned to his heroic roots and dropped the title back to Rhodes. The rest of his farewell tour featured dream matches against legends like Brock Lesnar, CM Punk, Randy Orton, and AJ Styles, plus some fun throwback encounters with R-Truth and Sami Zayn.
One final goodbye.
Thank YOU, @JohnCena. 🫡 pic.twitter.com/hg8gNpbILG
— WWE (@WWE) December 14, 2025
Going out on his back
For his final opponent, WWE held the “Last Time Is Now” tournament, which former World Heavyweight Champion Gunther won by defeating LA Knight in the finals. The Ring General earned the right to face Cena one last time, and he made it count.
The match itself was everything you’d want from Cena’s swan song. After an intense back-and-forth battle that had the Capital One Arena crowd on their feet, Gunther locked in a sleeper hold that Cena couldn’t escape. In a moment that echoed throughout wrestling history, Cena tapped out for the first time in over 20 years.
Following the match, the entire WWE roster came out to celebrate their departing legend. Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk placed their titles on Cena’s shoulders in a symbolic gesture of respect. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon joined the tribute as a video package highlighted Cena’s incredible journey. In true Cena fashion, he left his boots in the ring, gave the WWE Universe one final salute, and walked up the ramp for the last time.
What’s next for the Cenation leader?
While Cena’s in-ring career is over, he’s far from disappearing. His acting career has been on fire lately with starring roles in The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker, and the Fast & Furious franchise. He’ll remain with WWE as a brand ambassador, so we haven’t seen the last of him entirely.
Cena’s legacy is complicated but undeniable. Some fans grew tired of his dominance during the 2000s and 2010s, but his later career earned widespread praise for his character work and willingness to put over younger talent. Love him or hate him, you can’t deny the impact he’s had on professional wrestling.
The 47-year-old’s catchphrases became part of pop culture. His dedication to Make-A-Wish granted over 650 wishes to kids, a record that may never be broken. And his ability to reinvent himself kept him relevant across three different eras of WWE programming.
As Cena himself said during his retirement announcement: “There were many before me, there will be many after.” The king might be gone, but the Cenation will never forget their leader.
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