John Cena Unveils How Long He’s Been Mentally Preparing for WWE Retirement

John Cena has had a legendary career in the pro wrestling ring, but he is set to wrap things up in 2025. This marks a significant moment for the industry, and the 16-time World Champion has been preparing for this. After all, he has been a professional wrestler for practically his entire life, and WWE is largely responsible for launching his blockbuster Hollywood career.

John Cena recently spoke about the mental preparation required for his upcoming retirement. Cena is slated to embark on a retirement tour in 2025, working over 30 dates throughout the year as he bids farewell to the WWE Universe.

While speaking to Instinct Culture at the Jackpot! premiere, Cena was asked how he’s mentally preparing for his retirement. He admitted that this is something he has been gearing himself up for a long time. In fact, he’s been dropping hints that it may be coming for over five years now.

“It’s something I’ve been preparing for for a long time. If you backtrack interviews, I started talking about that in maybe 2019. I’m ready for it. Now is the perfect time to do it. I have a little bit of time in 2025 and the WWE has been awesome in working with schedules. They thought it was a great idea. They kind of ran with the idea. We expanded it to a year. 36 dates. I feel great. It’s a happy thing. I’m not going to tell anyone how to feel because I don’t believe in that, but I’m going to approach it with an upbeat attitude.”

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Cena has confirmed that he’ll be part of the WWE Raw on Netflix premiere, Royal Rumble, and WrestleMania 41. While he obviously knew that his pro wrestling career would eventually end, he will remain involved with WWE for a bit longer to see them through some major milestones.

John Cena announced that he will have about 36 appearances for WWE during his retirement tour. Although we don’t yet know how many matches he will have, it’s likely that WWE will choose his final opponents with great care. The big question is who will face him last, as that will be a historic match indeed.

Following John Cena’s retirement, a Hall of Fame induction is certainly in his future. That will cap off a legendary career, but it’s anyone’s guess what other surprises he might have for us along the way.

What’s your take on John Cena’s retirement? Who do you think he will face in his final match? Who should induct him into the WWE Hall of Fame? Let us know in the comments section!