John Cena may be finished in the ring, but he’s not disappearing from WWE anytime soon.
In an important update following the emotional fallout from Cena’s final match at Saturday Night’s Main Event, Fightful Select reports that the 17-time World Champion is expected to make future appearances for WWE, both on screen and behind the scenes. However, there’s a major caveat attached.
According to the report, WWE is firm on one thing: Cena’s wrestling days are officially over. At the same time, the outlet added that WWE has no intention of putting Cena back between the ropes.
“WWE is adamant John Cena is not wrestling again and that there are no plans to even ask him to return to the ring.“
The update comes after a weekend filled with emotion following Cena’s tap-out loss to GUNTHER. While fans inside Capital One Arena reacted harshly to the finish, backstage told a very different story. Mark Henry revealed on Busted Open Radio that the locker room was overwhelmed with emotion once Cena returned behind the curtain.
“I walked through the back — and there was a line of about thirty or forty people trying to get to John, hugging him and consoling him. We gave a salute. I mean, people were emotional. It’s been a while since — the last time I saw people crying like that was when somebody passed away.”
Henry also made it clear that Cena stepping away from the ring doesn’t mean he’s gone from the industry.
“John is still alive and well — he’s going to Hollywood. You’re going to keep hearing him every day — he’s not going away. He’s just going away from the ring.”
Triple H echoed that sentiment during the post-show media scrum, reinforcing that Cena’s final act was exactly what WWE expects from one of its all-time greats.
“If you want to talk behind the scenes, he will put over somebody on the way out. He will leave this better than he found it. That’s what John does and has always done.”
So while the chapter on John Cena the wrestler is officially closed, WWE clearly isn’t done tapping into his legacy. Whether that means appearances, ambassador roles, media work, or something entirely different remains to be seen — but one thing is certain: the ring door is shut for good.
Do you want to see John Cena pop up on WWE TV in a non-wrestling role, or should this truly be the final goodbye? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know how you feel about Cena’s future with WWE.
December 15, 2025 7:48 am
