Posted on 12/13/125 by Colin Vassallo
From the prototype to the last real champion, the record-
breaking never-seen 17 will hang up his boots – and jorts –
tonight after a historic 26-year career in the crazy world
of professional wrestling.
Absence makes the heart grow stronger, they say. It sure was
for Cena, who was often booed, ridiculed for his five moves
of doom, and on the receiving end of never-ending “Cena
sucks” chants. But once he left his full-time gig as a WWE
Superstar, the man from West Newbury, Massachusetts always
got a thunderous ovation whenever he returned home to the
ring.
And even when he finally went heel earlier this year,
something that fans have clamored forever, people did not
want to boo him. It was a trigger pulled too late and
perhaps apart from the initial shock moment, the whole Cena
goes heel experiment fell flat, so much so that Cena turned
face not long after.
In 2025, Cena had a total of 36 appearances for his
retirement tour, a number set by WWE. He had dedicated the
whole year for WWE, but he wasn’t needed for the full 12
months. It was his most since 2018. He has wrestled at least
one match for each of the 26 years he has been with the
company, a record which was saved by one lone match in 2024.
But in 2025, he has wrestled 17 matches so far and has one
more to go against The Ring General live tonight on Saturday
Night’s Main Event.
Cena reached 100 premium live event wins this year, a record
only matched – and surpassed – by The Undertaker at 107. His
tally at PLEs stands at an impressive 177 matches. He holds
the record for most matches on Monday Night Raw with a total
of 545.
The champ has shared the ring with Dominik Mysterio, Rey
Mysterio, Sheamus, Finn Balor, JD McDonagh, AJ Styles, Brock
Lesnar, Sami Zayn, Logan Paul, Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre,
CM Punk, R-Truth, Jey Uso, Randy Orton, Damian Priest, Seth
Rollins, Roxanne Perez, Raquel Rodriguez, and Liv Morgan
this year, not a bad group of people for a retirement tour.
Now, just hours away from his final match, a big angry
Austrian stands in his way. Gunther has already retired
Goldberg and would like nothing more to retire one of the
biggest stars in the history of professional wrestling.
Cena signs off with a championship history that is
unmatched: 14 time WWE champion, 3 time WWE World
Heavyweight champion, 1 time WWE Intercontinental champion,
5 time WWE United States champion, 2 time WWE Tag Team
champion, and 2 time WWE World Tag Team champion, plus Money
In The Bank winner, and twice Royal Rumble winner.
We might not have “seen” him for several years, but tonight,
the whole world will be watching.