John Cena: No check is big enough to lure me back to the ring after 2025 retirement

No amount of money could lure John Cena back to the ring once his WWE retirement tour concludes.

Next year, Cena will embark on a retirement tour lasting from January through December. The number of dates he plans on working is “in the mid-30s to 40s.” After that, Cena is stepping away from the ring and plans on being an ambassador for WWE.

In an interview with ComicBook.com, Cena declared that his decision to retire from in-ring competition is a final one. He values the trust he’s built with the fans and isn’t going to break that. After December 2025, he won’t wrestle for WWE or anyone else.

“There isn’t a check writer with enough money to change my mind. When I hang it up in December, it isn’t something — I don’t want to continue for ego or financial gain. I built a relationship of trust and authenticity over the years with the WWE, and that’s people who think I suck and people who believe in me. They know that I shoot them straight and I’m trustworthy. I mean what I say. And when I’m done in December, I am done. It is the last time I will perform in a ring,” Cena said.

“I’ll be a member of the WWE family as an ambassador and a grateful one. But you will see me wear this [a suit], not wristbands, jorts, the ball cap. In December 2025, that goes away. And that’s the reason why we’re putting so much equity and emphasis on this farewell tour. Because it truly is the last time for generations — for grandparents and parents and kids to get together in the same time. Grandparents could be like, ‘I didn’t know about wrestling and my son dragged me here.’ That son now has a son and daughter of their own, and they like John Cena, and now their kid likes Cody Rhodes. I want to try to do something special where we can all get together one last time and go through 25 years worth of memories.”

The 47-year-old Cena announced his retirement tour during a surprise appearance at Money in the Bank last month. It was his first WWE appearance since showing up at WrestleMania 40 and the Raw after WrestleMania this April.

Comicbook.com’s interview with Cena was conducted during a press junket for his new movie “Jackpot!” The movie will be available to stream on Amazon Prime Video starting on August 15.