WWE icon John Cena brought an end to his legendary professional wrestling career on Saturday night, closing the curtain on a 24-year run with his final match at Saturday Night’s Main Event at Capital One Arena.
The 48-year-old competed in his farewell bout against Gunther, ultimately losing after being forced to submit to a sleeper hold in a match lasting just under 25 minutes.
The conclusion shocked fans in attendance, as Cena; renowned throughout his career for rarely submitting, tapped out for the first time, prompting an emotional reaction from the crowd.
Following the match, several WWE superstars emerged from the locker room to honour Cena’s career. He then left his wristbands and boots in the ring, a traditional gesture symbolising retirement, before walking up the entrance ramp and saluting the audience one final time.
Cena retires as a 17-time world champion, the most title reigns officially recognised by WWE.
He headlined WrestleMania on six occasions and is widely regarded as one of the greatest performers in professional wrestling history.
He made his WWE debut in 2002 against Kurt Angle and initially struggled to find his footing before reinventing himself with the “Doctor of Thuganomics” persona, a transformation that propelled him to superstardom.
Beyond the ring, Cena successfully transitioned into Hollywood, becoming one of the few WWE stars to achieve sustained success as a film actor.
Cena announced in July 2024 that he would retire from in-ring competition at the end of 2025.
His farewell tour began at Royal Rumble in January and featured a rare heel turn earlier this year.
Speaking after the event, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes praised Cena’s impact on the industry, calling him a standard-setter whose influence inspired generations of wrestlers.
