John Cena announces retirement from professional wrestling after 2025 season

John Cena announced Saturday night that he will retire from professional wrestling next year after two decades in the ring.

The wrestler-turned-actor gave an emotional speech to a stadium of World Wrestling Entertainment fans in Toronto, who booed in disappointment when Cena said the 2025 season would be his last. He promised a farewell tour with dozens of dates and an epic final bout, and assured fans he would remain involved with the wrestling franchise that launched his career.

“Thank you so much for letting me play in the house you built for so many years,” Cena told the crowd.

At a press conference after the event, Cena told reporters that he felt physically “in his element,” but that doesn’t mean he should walk away from the sport he loves.

Cena, a 16-time WWE champion, burst onto the scene in the early 2000s as the “Doctor of Thuganomics,” a rapper persona decked out in gold chains and a backwards hat who challenged his wrestling opponents to rap battles. He went on to portray other popular characters, both in the ring and on the big screen.

Cena has played leading roles in the films “Blockers” and “The Suicide Squad.” He has made numerous appearances in the “Fast & Furious” franchise and recently appeared in the comedy thriller “Argylle” and the box-office hit “Barbie.”