John Cena’s unexpected but very welcome lengthy return to the WWE in recent months has many fans looking forward for possibly a much a larger role for WrestleMania 40. And, while John Cena probably isn’t going away from the business that started it all for him anytime soon, he’s hinting at a potential retirement.
As part of a recent interview as WWE toured India, the 46-year-old Hollywood superstar says that he’s “leaning towards 50” for when he’ll stop wrestling but he isn’t quite sure how long he’ll remain “physically able” to wrestle.
As he’s currently 46 years old, this implies that Cena might hang up his sneakers and jhorts in four years, presumably at WrestleMania 44.
Cena’s career as the face of the WWE lasted for over a decade. He was the one behind the “Ruthless Aggression” era of the early 2000s that succeeded the wildly successful “Attitude” era led by The Rock and Stone Cold. Despite shifting to a full-time acting schedule since 2019, the so-called WWE GOAT has made it a point to appear in at least one WWE match every year to keep his streak alive. This year, he’s done more wrestling than he has in years, and fans are loving it.
At the moment, John Cena will team up with LA Knightat Fastlane on October 7 in a tag team match against Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso in his first televised match since WrestleMania 39 in April where he lost to Austin Theory.
If we assume that John Cena can maintain a similarly light schedule for the next few years, with consistent appearances in the WWE but few televised in-ring matches outside of dark matches, the 16-time WWE champion will be able to keep himself in tip-top shape and relatively fresh for when he does square up against whoever.
With the location for WrestleMania 44 still not set in stone – the WWE has only reportedly locked in the venue for up to WrestleMania 43 – the WWE still has time to give John Cena a proper send-off in a location of his choosing.
Should he choose to retire by then, we hope the WWE and John Cena give fans one hell of a match, preferably as the record-holder for the most championship wins in WWE history. Who knows? Maybe his “final” WWE match will even be up against his former rival, The Rock, who’s technically still hasn’t retired from in-ring action despite exclusively making sporadic appearances.
For now, fans will want to enjoy the Doctor of Thuganomics when they can. With his feud with The Bloodline running a lot deeper, it wouldn’t surprise us if the WWE gives him another shot at Roman Reigns, although another title run before Cody Rhodes can finish his story is likely out of the question.
Speaking of The Rock and John Cena, the two might finally share the Hollywood screen together in Fast and Furious 11 when it premieres on April 4, 2025.
