The last time is now.
John Cena kicked off his retirement tour during the Netflix debut of Monday Night Raw on Jan. 6. Cena has wrestled part time since 2018 but announced in July 2024 he expected to wrestle 30 to 40 matches in 2025 to conclude his final year. On Sept. 30, WWE announced Cena’s final match will take place Dec. 13 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. During an appearance at the Intuit Dome he listed several potential foes — Logan Paul, CM Punk, Roman Reigns among them.
Here are highlights from “The Last Time is Now” farewell tour.
‘Monday Night Raw’ in Boston — Nov. 11
Back in his home state of Massachusetts, Cena faced Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio after Triple H made the match in the ring. Mysterio hit a 619 and a Frog Splash and went for the pin, but Cena rolled out and hit the Attitude Adjustment to win. With the victory Cena became a Grand Slam champion, having now held WWE’s major titles (Intercontinental, Tag Team, World Heavyweight and U.S.).
Crown Jewel — Oct. 11
In what closed one of WWE’s best rivalries, Cena defeated AJ Styles in Perth, Australia. Both men paid homage to others — Cena hit finishers associated with Randy Orton, The Miz and The Undertaker while Styles hit a Sweet Chin Music in tribute to Shawn Michaels. Cena won after a hard-fought match; the crowd chanted “Thank you, Cena” and the two embraced afterward.
Wrestlepalooza — Sept. 20
Cena took on longtime rival Brock Lesnar. Cena hit three Attitude Adjustments early, but Lesnar ultimately overpowered him. The crowd applauded Cena’s effort; he’s expected to get another shot at Lesnar in his remaining matches.
WWE Clash in Paris — Sept. 1
In his final European match, Cena defeated Logan Paul in a lively contest. Paris gave Cena an electric reception; he even hit a Styles Clash on Paul, followed by an Attitude Adjustment for the pin.
WWE SummerSlam — Aug. 3
After turning heel five months earlier, Cena reverted to a babyface entrance and faced Cody Rhodes in a street fight. The match went over 30 minutes and ended with Rhodes pinning Cena to win the WWE Championship, ending Cena’s reign that began at WrestleMania 41. Rhodes saluted Cena before finishing him; the two shared a hug postmatch. Brock Lesnar then returned and delivered an F-5 to Cena.
WWE Night of Champions — June 28
Cena defeated CM Punk in a chaotic match marked by multiple interruptions and referees being knocked out. When Punk called for a new referee, Money in the Bank winner Seth Rollins appeared with Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed and briefly threatened to cash in. Late in the match Rollins struck Punk with his briefcase, and Cena pinned Punk to retain his title.
WWE Money in the Bank — June 7
Cena teamed with Logan Paul against Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso. Cena dominated early, but an in-ring spat with Paul let Rhodes and Uso recover. A surprise appearance by R-Truth put Rhodes in position to pin Cena and win the match.
WWE Backlash — May 10
Cena faced Randy Orton in a veteran showdown. The match was back-and-forth, featuring interlopers and multiple RKO sequences. R-Truth intervened late; while Orton hit R-Truth with an RKO, Cena struck Orton with the championship belt and pinned him to win.
The final WrestleMania — April 20
Cena faced Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship. The memorable match lasted just under 20 minutes and included an appearance from Travis Scott. Cena won, capturing a record-tying 17th world championship — the most ever.
Booed in Brussels — March 17
On Monday Night Raw in Belgium Cena fully embraced a heel persona, delivering a venomous promo in which he decried years of perceived ingratitude from fans. He called his critics out and declared he didn’t need them, setting the stage for his WrestleMania 41 clash with Cody Rhodes.
Heel turn at the Elimination Chamber — Mar. 1
In the Elimination Chamber, Cena and CM Punk were the final two competitors. Cena prevailed, winning his fourth Chamber match and earning his WrestleMania title shot. After the match, Cena turned heel — viciously attacking Cody Rhodes following a handshake and hug, cementing the rivalry.
A loss in his final Royal Rumble — Feb. 1
Cena appeared poised to win his third Royal Rumble with only Jey Uso left, but Uso rallied and eliminated Cena, winning the 2025 Men’s Royal Rumble.
Farewell, Los Angeles. Hello, Indianapolis. — Jan. 6
On Raw’s first show of the year, Cena announced it would be his final WWE appearance in Los Angeles. He declared he planned to win the Royal Rumble and chase a 17th world title — a number that would break his tie with Ric Flair — with the Royal Rumble scheduled for Feb. 1 in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium.
