Cena's Curtain Call: Tracing the Defining Bouts of His Final WWE Season

One of the most decorated and influential figures in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) history, John Cena, is poised to conclude his active in-ring career this Saturday, January 17, 2026. The culmination of his 2025 "retirement tour" arrives with his final scheduled match against Gunther on Saturday Night’s Main Event. This year-long farewell has been characterized by a diverse range of narrative developments and match performances, reflecting the complex and often polarizing nature of Cena’s two-decade tenure. Throughout 2025, Cena navigated shifts between fan-favorite "babyface" and antagonist "heel" roles, achieved a landmark career milestone, and engaged in contests that varied significantly in critical reception, providing what many fans describe as the "full John Cena Experience." A detailed retrospective of these engagements offers insight into the final chapter of one of professional wrestling’s most significant careers.

A Record-Breaking Ambition and Contentious Heel Turn

The initial phase of Cena’s retirement tour was dominated by his pursuit of a historic 17th World Championship reign, a feat that would surpass Ric Flair’s widely recognized record of 16 world titles. Cena initiated this quest at the Royal Rumble event in January 2025, aiming to secure a main event championship opportunity at WrestleMania 41. Despite being a heavy favorite, Cena was unexpectedly eliminated by Jey Uso, marking a surprising outcome for many observers.

Following this setback, Cena adopted an increasingly self-serving demeanor. He publicly asserted that his participation in the WrestleMania main event was "best for business" and that his "23 years of loyal service to this company" exempted him from qualifying for the Elimination Chamber match, a requirement for the other five competitors. This stance marked a departure from his established "Hustle, Loyalty, Respect" persona. Cena subsequently secured his WrestleMania berth within the Elimination Chamber. The decisive moment occurred when, with the match narrowed down to Cena and CM Punk, an already eliminated Seth Rollins attacked Punk, stomping his head into the steel grating. Cena capitalized on the debilitated Punk, applying an STF submission hold to secure the victory.

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The evening of the Elimination Chamber culminated in a dramatic heel turn. At the instigation of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Cena joined forces with musical artist Travis Scott in a brutal assault on Cody Rhodes. This moment generated significant traction across social media and garnered widespread mainstream media attention, achieving WWE’s immediate objective of creating a viral spectacle. However, the long-term narrative planning following this event appeared less defined.

Cena subsequently defeated Rhodes in a 25-minute contest at WrestleMania 41 to claim his 17th World Championship, breaking Flair’s record. The victory was facilitated by interference from Scott, with The Rock notably absent from the event despite his previous involvement. Cena justified his actions by stating he had been in an "abusive relationship with the fans" and intended to "ruin wrestling for them" by becoming the "last real champion." This narrative struggled to resonate consistently, particularly as Cena continued to wear merchandise promoting his retirement tour while simultaneously expressing disdain for the audience. The sustained absence of The Rock and Travis Scott further diminished the impact of the initial viral heel turn. In a subsequent interview, Cena himself alluded to the improvisational nature of the storyline, stating, "No, that stuff you see on [WWE] Unreal is real. ‘We need to make Chamber big, so let’s do something that’ll shock everybody. Hey man, we got this idea.’ ‘No problem, I’ll do the best I can.’" This commentary suggested the primary objective was the immediate shock value rather than a meticulously planned character arc.

Renewed Rivalries and a Return to Form

As Cena’s heel run struggled to gain consistent traction, WWE leaned into established rivalries to maintain audience engagement. His first title defense occurred at Backlash against Randy Orton. The rivalry between Cena and Orton, both cornerstones of WWE for over two decades, is characterized by its longevity and the parallel trajectories of their careers rather than a consistent history of in-ring chemistry at their peak. Cena retained the championship in a match generally considered decent, but not a standout.

Following Backlash, Cena entered a brief program with R-Truth. This began with a comedic confrontation at a press conference, culminating in Cena putting Truth through a table. Cena defeated Truth at Saturday Night’s Main Event in May, but lost their June rematch on SmackDown via disqualification. The R-Truth storyline, spanning just over 10 minutes across two matches, served as a lighthearted diversion, playing on Truth’s long-standing comedic interactions with Cena and his self-proclaimed admiration for the veteran.

A more critically anticipated rivalry was reignited at Night of Champions, where Cena defended his title against CM Punk. This program provided Cena with the most effective material for his heel persona. Drawing upon their extensive and often contentious history, Cena was able to articulate genuine grievances, even delivering a "pipebomb" style promo mirroring Punk’s famous 2011 address. In a reversal of their 2011 dynamic, where Punk threatened to leave as champion, Cena, as champion, was now contemplating his departure. Their Night of Champions match was widely considered one of the stronger performances of Cena’s retirement tour, showcasing their enduring in-ring chemistry and strong storytelling. However, the narrative was ultimately overshadowed by a series of external interventions involving Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, Penta, and Sami Zayn, detracting from the core contest.

With the Punk rivalry concluded, Cena was again paired with Cody Rhodes in the build-up to SummerSlam. On the final SmackDown preceding the event, Cena underwent an abrupt character shift, turning back to his traditional babyface role. This turn lacked a clear narrative catalyst, with Cena simply stating he had "lost his way" and declaring, "August 1, 2025, the day John Cena came back to WWE." This marked the end of his heel run, positioning Cena to conclude his career in the persona that defined most of his tenure.

Championship Loss and Grand Slam Achievement

As widely predicted, Cody Rhodes defeated Cena for the WWE Championship at SummerSlam. The match, contested under "street fight" rules, was critically better received than their WrestleMania encounter, utilizing the stipulation to enhance drama and physicality. Post-match, Cena adhered to his re-established babyface character by shaking Rhodes’ hand before being subjected to a brutal, unprovoked attack by the returning Brock Lesnar. This shocking segment concluded SummerSlam, setting up a new program.

Before a direct confrontation with Lesnar, Cena briefly engaged with Logan Paul. Their match at Clash in Paris saw Cena emerge victorious, displaying a more diverse move set than typically associated with his later career. This period suggested a more relaxed and enjoyable approach to his in-ring work, having navigated the more dramatic segments of his farewell.

Cena and Lesnar subsequently faced each other at Wrestlepalooza. The encounter evoked memories of their dominant SummerSlam 2014 match, where Lesnar delivered 16 German suplexes en route to a decisive victory. Lesnar again asserted dominance, though the match itself garnered mixed reviews. ESPN, whose streaming deal with WWE commenced with the event, graded it a C-, while CBS Sports assigned a C, indicating a performance that did not fully meet expectations given the participants’ history.

The critical highlight of Cena’s final year in the ring arguably occurred in October at Crown Jewel. With minimal prior narrative build-up beyond social media exchanges, Cena faced AJ Styles in Australia. Their previous encounters, particularly in 2016 and 2017, are widely regarded as some of Cena’s career best. The Crown Jewel match continued this trend, diverging from typical WWE match structures by incorporating numerous callbacks to moments and moves from their shared history and that of their past rivals. This stylistic choice led many observers to compare it favorably to independent circuit matches of the 2010s for its innovative approach to storytelling.

In the final stretch of his career appearances, Cena achieved a significant personal milestone. During his final WWE ring appearance in Boston, Cena was challenged by Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio. In an immediate title match, Cena secured the victory, capturing the Intercontinental Championship—the only major WWE singles title that had eluded him. This win elevated Cena to the exclusive status of a WWE Grand Slam Champion, having held a world championship, a tag team championship, the United States Championship, and now the Intercontinental Championship.

Cena’s reign as Intercontinental Champion was brief. After teaming with Sheamus and Rey Mysterio to defeat The Judgment Day on his final Raw appearance, Cena faced Dominik Mysterio in a rematch at Survivor Series. The contest was marred by significant interference, culminating in the return of Liv Morgan, which enabled Mysterio to regain the Intercontinental Championship.

Cena’s final scheduled match pits him against Gunther, the current Intercontinental Champion and a competitor who navigated a tournament specifically to earn the distinction of being Cena’s concluding opponent. Gunther’s recent dominance and physical style present a formidable challenge for the departing icon.

Assessing the Legacy of the Farewell Tour

Evaluating the overall success of John Cena’s final year in WWE presents a nuanced challenge. From a booking perspective, there were notable inconsistencies. The initial heel turn on Cody Rhodes, while creating a viral moment, suffered from a lack of sustained narrative follow-through. The absence of The Rock from subsequent appearances rendered his initial involvement largely meaningless, leaving Cena to deliver repetitive promos that often contradicted his actions and merchandise. The subsequent, seemingly unmotivated return to a babyface role, likely orchestrated to facilitate Brock Lesnar’s attack, further underscored these booking challenges.

Additionally, many of Cena’s matches earlier in the year, particularly those exceeding 20 minutes, were perceived by some critics as overbooked and indicative of a performer whose physical prime was behind him.

However, as the year progressed, Cena demonstrated flashes of his renowned in-ring capability. His match with CM Punk, despite its interference-laden conclusion, showcased their enduring chemistry. The contest against AJ Styles at Crown Jewel stands out as a testament to Cena’s ability to innovate and deliver a critically acclaimed performance, reminding audiences of his peak form.

Despite the narrative missteps and varied match quality, the tour ultimately highlighted Cena’s enduring star power and his capacity to deliver compelling performances when the conditions aligned. In that respect, the farewell tour, despite its complexities, served as a final reminder of John Cena’s profound impact on professional wrestling.