Across his three-dozen appearances in 2025, WWE fans have seen John Cena spark rivalries with recent and old foes, claim his record-breaking seventeenth world title, and unlock a heelish side rarely seen from him. In keeping with Cena himself, initial plans called for much more motion to unfold for him on WWE programming.
While sitting down with The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, Cena revealed that he previously envisioned himself fulfilling greater than six times the quantity of appearances he actually made for his retirement tour this 12 months. “I used to be in Budapest, all night on set in Budapest, fly to Indy, do Indy, fly back, land, dropped my stuff off, go film. Doing that until post-WrestleMania, backwards and forwards to Morocco and Budapest and all these crazy places that weren’t easy commutes. You’ll be able to do it because I’ll sleep on the plane or whatever. You do not. Doesn’t occur, you then get the other way up and also you’re super fatigued, but I threaded the needle simply enough.
“The plan, originally, was to do a full 12 months,” he continued. “This just goes to indicate my ignorance within the business. I desired to do 220 dates. Just take a 12 months off of every part, hop on a bus, do a full WWE calendar, and totally say goodbye. Thank goodness that the business is different from that anymore because I could be [like] in case you took a gingerbread man and broke him. I’d be done. They only needed me for 36.”
Cena’s last tour date will take him to Washington, D.C. on December 13 for WWE Saturday Night’s Most important Event, during which he’ll wrestle “The Ring General” GUNTHER for his final match. GUNTHER earned this chance by overcoming the likes of Je’Von Evans, Carmelo Hayes, and Solo Sikoa in “The Last Time Is Now” tournament. Earlier this 12 months, GUNTHER also served as the ultimate in-ring opponent for WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg.
If you happen to use any of the quotes in this text, please credit Bill Simmons with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.