Throughout 2025, WWE audiences have seen John Cena reignite rivalries with both familiar and new opponents, secure a record-breaking 17th world championship, and reveal a rarely seen villainous side. Cena disclosed during an interview with The Ringer’s Bill Simmons that his initial plan involved a much busier schedule for his WWE retirement tour than what actually happened.
Cena shared that he originally intended to perform over 220 times on this retirement run, envisioning a full year dedicated to WWE appearances. However, juggling commitments such as traveling between Budapest, Indianapolis, Morocco, and other challenging locations left him exhausted. He recounted how intense this schedule was, mentioning back-to-back flights and constant movement with little rest. Ultimately, the plan was scaled back significantly, with only 36 matches scheduled.
The tour will conclude with Cena’s final match on December 13th at WWE Saturday Night in Washington, D.C., where he will face “The Ring General” Gunther. Gunther earned this opportunity by winning “The Last Time Is Now” tournament against opponents like Je’Von Evans, Carmelo Hayes, and Solo Sikoa. Notably, Gunther was also WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg’s last in-ring rival earlier this year.
Fan Take: This revelation about Cena’s originally ambitious retirement plans highlights the physical and logistical challenges of a demanding WWE schedule, reminding fans of the toll wrestling takes on superstars. Cena’s scaled-back farewell tour allows for meaningful storytelling and memorable matches rather than quantity over quality, which bodes well for the sport’s future storytelling and athlete well-being.
