John Cena Announces Retirement at WrestleMania 41

John Cena made a surprise return at WWE Money in the Bank 2024 and made a shocking announcement of his own. The 16-time world champion showed up in Toronto to reveal that he would be retiring at next year’s WrestleMania 41 event in Las Vegas.

After Sami Zayn defeated Bron Breaker to retain the Intercontinental Championship, WWE Hall of Famer and Money in the Bank host Trish Stratus appeared on stage to reveal a special guest. Cena, one of the biggest stars in professional wrestling history, entered Scotiabank Arena to a thunderous ovation before dropping an unexpected bombshell.

In a heartfelt speech, Cena thanked the Toronto fans and informed the WWE audience that next year’s Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber events, the final two stops before WrestleMania, would be his last. The same will be true for WrestleMania 41, the two-night extravaganza that will take place at Allegiant Stadium.

While Cena’s shocking announcement came out of nowhere, perhaps it shouldn’t have happened.

In many recent interviews, Cena had hinted that he would be retiring in the near future. During an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show (h/t Talk Sport) Earlier this year, the 47-year-old wrestler and actor said he had no plans to wrestle past the age of 50. He doubled down on his efforts by appearing on TODAYsaying, “I’ll never leave the WWE family. But as far as the ring and the falls… time is limited on that.”

WWE fans didn’t realize how limited Cena’s playing time would be.

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Minutes after Breakker lost to Zayn in a clash that delighted Zayn’s Canadian fans, Cena’s surprising announcement brought fans back to reality. Arguably the greatest all-around performer to ever step foot in a WWE ring, Cena last appeared in WWE on April’s Raw after WrestleMania 40, teaming with The Miz and R-Truth to defeat The Judgment Day.

The day before, Cena had made a surprise appearance in the epic WrestleMania 40 main event between Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns. His last singles match came last November when he was destroyed by The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa in a lopsided match that, perhaps unironically, clearly foreshadowed Cena’s imminent retirement.

Now, 22 years after his WWE debut in 2002, Cena has made it clear that time is running out, hinting that he will only have three matches left, with an appearance at the Royal Rumble and a final match at WrestleMania 41 as the cherry on top of what has been a remarkable career.

While it remains to be seen exactly how what will be left of Cena’s legendary career will play out, rest assured that it will be a major moment for WWE and all of professional wrestling when the man who has been synonymous with WWE for over two decades calls it quits next year.

Shortly after Cena’s retirement announcement rocked fans inside the Scotiabank Center, WWE communications chief Triple H took to Twitter to call Cena “the greatest of all time”:

A former Royal Rumble winner, WrestleMania main eventer, United States Champion and World Champion, Cena certainly has the accolades to warrant such a title for the man who famously said, “You can’t see me.”

And by this time next year, wrestling fans will actually have seen the “GOAT”
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” professional wrestling who competes for the last time in his jean shorts and tennis shoes.