From WWE Paydays to a 2025 Fortune: How John Cena Built His Empire Before Retirement
On December 13, John Cena steps into the ring for the final time, closing an era that reshaped pro wrestling. As the bell tolls, his legacy spans era-defining moments—and a fortune that shows how big he made it by 2025.
John Cena is about to hang up the jorts. WWE is billing December 13, 2025 as his final match, and it’s happening at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC during the Saturday Night's Main Event live show. So, yes, the end of an era. And because this always comes up whenever a legend calls it a day: here’s where Cena’s money stands, what WWE pays him, and what he’s actually doing after he wrestles that last match.
The money picture: how rich is Cena in 2025?
By the latest public estimate, Cena’s net worth in 2025 sits around $80 million (via Celebrity Net Worth). That pot came from three main lanes: WWE checks, brand partnerships, and a very busy film and TV career. Among current and former WWE names, only Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is ahead of him in the money column.
What WWE paid him then vs. now
Back in 2018, Sports Illustrated had Cena as WWE’s top earner with a $10 million annual salary. Since his full-time run is long behind him, that base number has come down. The Sportster put his 2023 WWE salary around $8.5 million. The important caveat: that’s base pay. It doesn’t include premium live event/PPV money, merchandise cuts, or endorsements, which can be significant for someone with his name recognition.
One slightly confusing timeline note: that $8.5 million figure is tied to his recent part-time years, and there hasn’t been a publicized new in-ring deal to replace it. Separately, Cena says he’s already signed an extension to stay with WWE beyond 2025, which sounds more like a long-term ambassador/behind-the-scenes agreement than a new wrestler contract. Different lanes, different pay structures.
The last match
WWE has Cena’s final match set for Saturday, December 13, 2025 at Capital One Arena in DC, under the Saturday Night's Main Event banner. It’s a house-show brand these days, not a weekly TV series, but the company is clearly treating the date like a send-off.
So what does Cena do after he retires?
He’s not walking away from the company. On the Club Shay Shay podcast, Cena explained why he’s staying put under WWE’s parent company TKO (the WWE/UFC merger home):
"I’m a champion of the brand. I love the company. It is my home. They are my family. Even after 2025, I’ve already signed an extension to remain a member of the WWE family for the near, mid, and long-term future."
Translation: he’s locked in with WWE, just not necessarily as an active wrestler. What that job title looks like is still TBD. Executive? Producer? Perma-ambassador? All in play.
How he stacks up with WWE’s current top earners
GiveMeSport’s recent rundown has Roman Reigns at the top with a $15 million annual salary, followed by the next tier of headliners. Cena’s base is still in that upper mix even as a part-time attraction:
- Roman Reigns: $15 million per year
- Cody Rhodes: $10 million per year
- Randy Orton: $9 million per year
- Seth Rollins: $9 million per year
- John Cena: about $8.5 million base in 2023 (not counting PPV, merch, endorsements)
Bottom line: Cena’s about to close the book on active wrestling, but he’s not leaving the building. He’s sitting on around $80 million, he’s still one of WWE’s highest-paid names when he shows up, and he’s already signed on to stick around under TKO after 2025. Not a bad way to ride off into the sunset.