John Cena announces his retirement from WWE live during the Money in the Bank PLE, lists his final WWE planned events

John Cena announced his retirement from WWE during an unannounced surprise appearance during tonight’s WWE Money in the Bank PLE in Toronto, Ont.

Cena said he is excited about WWE going to Netflix next year. He said he will participate in the 2025 versions of the Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, and WrestleMania. He said he would answer questions about his retirement in a press conference after Money in the Banks.

Fans chanted, “Thank you, Cena!” Cena’s voice cracked as he thanked the fans for their support.

Cena rose to become the top star in the post-Attitude Era version of WWE in the mid-2000s. He caught the eyes of WWE executives with his catch and clever raps both on camera and on buses when traveling from show to show. He grew to be widely regarded as a talented wrestler able to have high-quality main event matches against a variety of opponents, even if his ring style was often awkward and clunky in the midst of those exciting matches. He was bombarded with boos from male WWE fans throughout much of his reign, but Vince McMahon didn’t waver as presenting him as the centerpiece star of the company. Cena’s merchandise topped WWE sales charts year after year, especially with younger fans.

While Cena wasn’t seen as a cool, he was a key figure in reshaping how advertisers, network execs, and media saw WWE after a tumultuous stretch of scrutiny over drug-related deaths and the Chris Benoit muder-murder-suicide.Cena went on to breakout as a crossover celebrity with a series of critically acclaimed roles in movies and TV series along with various talk show appearances, including a “nude scene” in this year’s Emmy Awards. As often is the case in pro wrestling, a pro wrestling retirement doesn’t always mean it’s the end of a career. There has been talk for a while, including from Cena himself, that his in-ring career would be ending soon. This “retirement announcement” was just as much a promotional announcement to build anticipation for three big “final” PLE matches early next year. There will be much speculation about what story WWE will tell with the end of Cena’s in-ring career, whether he’ll win the Rumble and get a title shot or come up short and end up in a different type of match other than for one of WWE’s world titles.

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