John Cena Says Goodbye To WWE — He’s Never Wrestling Again
End of an era: 17-time WWE world champion and actor John Cena confirms his WWE retirement is permanent, closing the book on more than two decades in the ring.
John Cena says the quiet part out loud: after two decades of doing this 52 weeks a year, the guy is tapping out for good. The DC hero of 'Peacemaker' fame and, yes, the 17-time WWE World Champion is locking in a hard stop for his in-ring career.
What Cena told Kimmel
On 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!', Cena laid it out: 23 years, final lap, no winking 'one more match' tease.
'I am absolutely 100% done... I will never wrestle again.'
Kimmel poked at the obvious loophole: what if he does wrestle again? Cena didn't hesitate: 'Then you'll be able to show this part of the show and call me a liar.'
The unusual part
Cena says he announced his retirement about 15 months ahead of time, which is not how WWE typically plays it. Retirements in that world are usually elastic; the door always gets left cracked for one last run. He's trying to do the opposite: give fans a long runway, say goodbye properly, and then actually leave.
Why the long goodbye
His take is pretty simple: after being a constant in people's living rooms for two decades with no reruns, he feels a genuine connection to the audience. This past year of touring has been a victory lap by design. Meeting fans, hearing stories, letting everyone get whatever closure they want — that's the whole point.
The final bell
Cena says his last day in the ring is set for Saturday Night's Main Event XLII, streaming on Peacock on Saturday, December 13, 2025. He's openly hoping people tune in — and, in a very wrestling twist, he doesn't even know who he's facing yet.
Career snapshot
- Started wrestling in 1999; signed his first WWE deal in 2001
- Main roster debut on 'SmackDown!' in 2002
- 23-year run as a WWE headliner
- 17-time World Champion — the most anybody has ever won, per WWE's own count
- Spent the last year touring and saying goodbye in front of crowds worldwide
- Final match: Saturday Night's Main Event XLII on Peacock, December 13, 2025
- Opponent: TBD
The actor phase isn't a phase
Even as he shuts the door on wrestling, the on-camera stuff keeps rolling. He's the face of DC's 'Peacemaker', he's got action comedies like 'Heads of State', and you can even go back to where this all started on the movie side with 'The Marine'. But in the ring? Cena says he's done. For real.