John Cena Announces Retirement From WWE After 22 Years

(MENAFN- NewsIn) July 7 (DailyMirror) – The 47-year-old wrestler-turned-Hollywood actor made a surprise appearance at the promotion’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view event in Toronto on Saturday night.

He announced that he would be stepping away from wrestling after a retirement tour where he will perform at headline shows Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania.

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The 16-time world champion, arguably the greatest WWE Superstar of all time, also said he wants to be involved when WWE’s weekly show Monday Night Raw moves to Netflix in January.

Cena’s presence in WWE has diminished significantly in recent years as he has sought success in film and television.

Speaking in the ring on Saturday night, Cena said: “Why am I here? Tonight I officially announce my retirement from WWE.

“I hear mixed reviews. There’s a lot of questions, maybe, right? Like, why here? I want to talk about that for a moment. I want to talk about Toronto. Actually, I want to talk about Canada. Actually, I want to talk about Canadians.”

“I’ve been doing this for a while. I’ve been with WWE for over two decades and in that time I’ve seen incredible waves of prosperity like we’re experiencing right now. WWE is the hottest ticket in town, without a doubt.

“And I’ve also seen huge difficulties and that’s when nobody knows your name, nobody wants to be your friend and only the most dedicated and hardcore fans are on your side.

“So over all these years, one of the biggest and most impressive things I’ve learned is that whether WWE is hot or cold, Canadians are always there.

“You have all contributed to making this place what it is today, which makes this place, in my opinion, the ideal place to say what I have to say.

“This farewell doesn’t end tonight. It’s filled with opportunity. Everyone, RAW is going to make history next year when it’s on Netflix. I’ve never been on RAW on Netflix. This is history. This is a first and I’ll be there.”

“Alongside this historic first, we will build many unforgettable works.

“The 2025 Royal Rumble will be my last. The 2025 Elimination Chamber will be my last and I am here tonight to announce that WrestleMania Las Vegas in 2025 will be the last WrestleMania I will ever attend.

“I know, I know. It’s a lot to take in. There are probably a lot of questions, so I’m telling you right now. I’m going to kick off the press conference right after the show and I’ll answer any questions about my retirement.

“I want to say thank you. What an incredible act of kindness. I want to say thank you. Thank you so much for letting me play in the house you built for so many years.

“Thank you so much for your voice, because it’s really strong, and your honesty, because it’s beautifully brutal. And most of all, thank you so much for letting me be here with you tonight to let the world know that we’re up to something unforgettable, which also involves me coming back to Toronto to kick some ass.

“So if you’re watching at home or here in Toronto or if you’re a WWE Superstar, if you want some, hurry up and come get some because this is the last time.”

Cena, who walked out naked at the Oscars in March, is tied with WWE legend Ric Flair for the most world titles in wrestling history with 16.

He has been at the heart of many legendary storylines in the company over the past 20 years, battling the likes of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Triple H, Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton.

Cena’s acting career has taken off in recent years, with him starring in the Fast and Furious franchise, as well as Barbie, Daddy’s Home and Trainwreck.

He has also hosted Saturday Night Live and the ESPYs and currently stars in HBO’s Peacemaker.

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