By Sabiu Abdullahi
WWE icon John Cena has officially retired from professional wrestling, closing a 24-year career after his final appearance at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., on Saturday night.
Cena made his last stand at Saturday Night’s Main Event, where he faced Gunther in a highly anticipated farewell contest.
The 48-year-old legend suffered defeat after Gunther forced him to submit to a sleeper hold in a match that lasted just under 25 minutes, bringing an end to one of the most accomplished careers in WWE history.
Inside the arena, fans watched in shock as Gunther maintained pressure in the decisive moments. Loud chants echoed through the building as supporters urged Cena to continue fighting. When he finally tapped out, emotions spilled over, with several fans seen in tears.
The conclusion surprised many. Throughout his career, Cena had built a reputation for resilience and was rarely known to submit. On this occasion, he was forced to give in for the first time, succumbing to Gunther’s sleeper hold.
After the final bell, members of the WWE locker room came out to pay tribute. Cena then placed his wristbands and boots in the ring, a traditional signal of retirement, before walking up the ramp. He paused, turned back, and offered one last salute to the crowd and cameras.
Cena leaves the ring as a 17-time world champion, holding the record for the most recognised title reigns in WWE. He also headlined WrestleMania six times and earned widespread recognition as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.
His famous “You Can’t See Me” catchphrase became one of the most identifiable slogans in sports entertainment.
His WWE journey began in 2002 with a loss to Kurt Angle. Early struggles followed before a breakthrough arrived with the “Doctor of Thuganomics” persona, which featured freestyle rap promos and quickly won over fans.
Beyond wrestling, Cena built a successful acting career, becoming one of the few WWE stars to achieve lasting success in Hollywood.
Cena first announced his retirement plans at the Money in the Bank Premium Live Event on July 6, 2024, where he revealed that he would step away from in-ring competition at the end of 2025.
His farewell run started at the Royal Rumble in January, where Jey Uso eliminated him. He later shocked fans at Elimination Chamber on March 1 by adopting a villain role for the first time since 2003.At WrestleMania in April, Cena captured his record-breaking 17th world title by defeating Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
He later dropped both the title and the villain persona back to Rhodes at SummerSlam in August. WWE then organised a tournament to select Cena’s final opponent, with Gunther emerging victorious.
Speaking after the event, current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes reflected on Cena’s influence, visibly emotional as he spoke.