John Cena has officially announced his WWE retirement date in an emotional speech at Money In The Bank.
The 16-time world champion turned Hollywood star shocked fans with an unannounced appearance in Toronto as he confirmed ‘the last time is now’ as he prepares for his final matches.
‘Tonight, I officially announce my retirement from the WWE,’ he told the crowd, before confirming he still has some matches planned before hanging up his boots for good.
After confirming he will be part of Raw’s move to Netflix in January, he added: ‘2025 Royal Rumble will be my last. 2025 Elimination Chamber will be my last. And I’m here tonight to announce that in Las Vegas, WrestleMania 2025, will be the last WrestleMania I compete in.’
Cena teased something special over the coming months as he prepares to call time on a glistening 22-year career.
‘Why now? Because it’s Money In The Bank,’ he explained about the timing of his announcement. ‘The ultimate symbol of opportunity. And this farewell doesn’t end tonight, it is filled with opportunity.’
Going further into his decision to announce his retirement in Toronto, Cena spoke about the significance of Canadian fans.
He said: ‘I’ve seen incredibly waves of prosperity like we’ve got right now. WWE is the hottest ticket in town, no doubt. I’ve also seen tremendous hardship. That’s when no one knows your name, no one wants to be your friend and only the most dedicated, hardcore fans stand by your side.
‘So in all those years , one of the most important, one of the most impressive things I learned is whether WWE is hot or cold, Canadians always show up.’
Cena also confirmed he will be part of the post show press conference to answer ‘any and all questions’ about his decision, his plans, and what the coming months hold.
‘Thanks so much for letting me play in the house that you built,’ he said as the fans gave him the ovation he deserves.
He added: ‘Thank you so much for your voice, because it’s really loud, and your honesty because it’s really brutal.’
Cena’s most recent match came on the Raw after WrestleMania in April, when he, The Miz and R-Truth beat The Judgment Day’s Dominik Mysterio, Finn Balor and JD McDonagh.
In November last year, Cena lost to Solo Sikoa in his most recent singles match, which came a few weeks after he and LA Knight beat Solo and Jimmy Uso.
The WWE Money In The Bank Press Conference airs immediately after MITB on the WWE Network and YouTube.
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