John Cena Talks Future with WWE: Is He Done for Good?

John Cena has neither confirmed nor denied whether he will remain onboard with WWE following his retirement from the ring. His retirement tour, which will officially conclude in December 2025, in fact started on January 6, a date many fans knew was coming but were still unprepared for. On that day, Cena outlined his plans for participating in WrestleMania and taking home a record breaking 17th World Championship only after announcing that he would be one of those involved in the Royal Rumble match.

Will John Cena Ever Return? Here's What He Said About WWE

However, Cena has already made it very clear that he would not be participating in any more matches after 2026, but he would still continue with the company. During the press conference after the performance, Cena reiterated that he would not voluntarily walk away from the company:

He stated, “I love the WWE, as you all know. I know I’m going to retire, but they will have to fire to get me to stop being a part of this place.” Cena's early stunts and appearances, which can still be recalled fondly by fans, showed how fame has been built since the early 2000s. Cena had many opportunities to meet the fans, and many wanted him to relive some of his old roles as part of the final farewell because the star would be Hollywood bound. At the same time, John Cena clarified whether that would be feasible at the press conference as well.

John Cena said, “Peacemaker is a DC thing. You never know, never say never, right? The great thing about the farewell tour, that tonight, we debuted a new outfit. It was very regionally focused. The Prototype, I don’t know if I have all the string to grow out the crappy blonde hair again. The Prototype wore different colors. The colors of the home team, so to speak. I’m really looking forward to trying to go back to the way I started. Thug Life, the Dr. of Thuganomics John Cena would wear home or away jerseys. There is elements of everything already in front of you. Hopefully, by the end of all this, if you want to see a certain facet of the 23 years I’ve been in the business, hopefully you can get that little sprinkle. I’m definitely focused on that and hopefully, we can deliver.”

The fans were waiting with bated breath to know what was next in store after the promising announcement by the Hollywood veteran that he meant to retire this year before the be-all-end-all Raw. The former wrestler declared his entry in the Royal Rumble match, suggesting a run in at WrestleMania.