WWE sensation John Cena made a bombshell announcement on Saturday at the Money in the Bank event in Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, declaring that his illustrious career will culminate after his final match at WrestleMania 41.
The news of Cena’s impending retirement was disseminated by WWE via Instagram and a longer version on Elon Musk’s X platform, confirming that the legendary wrestler’s last bout will take place in the year 2025. WrestleMania 41 is set to captivate audiences on April 19-20, 2025, in none other than the bustling city of Las Vegas.
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Right after the action of Sami Zayn’s defense of the Intercontinental Championship against Bron Breakker, the crowd was stunned by WWE Hall of Famer and event host Trish Stratus introducing a surprise guest. Cena strode into the arena to thunderous applause, as reported by Forbes [2].
“Why am I here? Tonight, I officially announce my retirement from the WWE,” Cena proclaimed to the crowd. His statement was met with a ‘mixed opinion.’
“In the vein of ultimate opportunity, I wanted to take advantage of one right here, right now with me I want to say thank you… This farewell does not end tonight. It is filled with opportunity. Everybody, RAW makes history next year when it moves to Netflix. I’ve never been a part of RAW on Netflix. That is history. That is a first and I will be there.” – John Cena
The last dance? pic.twitter.com/0pAVoNSLpF [3]
— Mads (@MadRollins) July 7, 2024 [4]
He confirmed that his swansong would occur at WrestleMania 41, a grand two-night affair at Allegiant Stadium, yet opted not to disclose his potential opponents, instead issuing a challenge to the entire wrestling lineup.
“If you’re a WWE superstar, if you want some, hurry up and come get some,” Cena declared, leaving the audience in eager anticipation of a thrilling finale to an era.