John Cena Explains Why He’s Ending His Career: “It Will Ruin Me and My Relationship” – John Cena has opened up about the deeply personal reasons behind his farewell tour, revealing why he feels the time has come to close the chapter on his storied WWE career. Now 48, the 17-time world champion admitted that the physical and emotional toll of professional wrestling no longer aligns with his current priorities in life.
Appearing on What’s Your Story? With Stephanie McMahon, Cena offered a candid and emotional look at why he’s stepping away from the ring. Reflecting on his shift in perspective, he explained that for over 15 years, wrestling was the “tip of his spear”—his primary focus. Today, that priority has changed to protecting his health and preserving his relationship with his wife.
“My skills are on the regress because I take less risks,” Cena admitted. “I have more than myself to think about. There are goals that I want to have that don’t land on the canvas. I want to be able to move around, so I have to kind of hedge on the risks that I take, which means I’m hedged on the moves I can do, and I’m also a little bit more worn.”
Cena acknowledged that continuing a full-time wrestling schedule like he maintained in 2013 would be devastating. “A schedule like I was doing in 2013 would destroy me right now,” he said. “It will ruin me and ruin my relationship. And that’s the tip of my spear. So I gotta close the chapter.”
He also described the “humility” that comes with aging in the ring, recognizing that pushing his limits now would be dangerous. “I’ve seen other people get late in their career and try crazy stuff, the math isn’t in your favor,” he said. “A byproduct of enjoying and embracing the lightning bolt is a lot of time on the canvas… but it’s also like time for that to be over.”
While Cena is preparing for retirement, he’s not done just yet. He is currently the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion and is scheduled to defend his title against Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam. His farewell tour is expected to conclude by the end of 2025, marking the end of one of the most celebrated careers in wrestling history.
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John Cena Explains Why He’s Ending His Career: “It Will Ruin Me and My Relationship”
