John Cena Explains Why He Stopped Wearing Suits on WWE Television

John Cena Explains Why He Stopped Wearing Suits on WWE TV and Clarifies His "Jorts" Remain Retired

John Cena has detailed the reasoning behind his recent wardrobe shift on WWE programming, explaining why he moved away from formal suits while confirming that both his in-ring career and his trademark jean shorts remain permanently retired.

Following his retirement from active competition, the 17-time world champion began appearing on television in formal attire to visually reinforce that his wrestling days were over. However, during a recent interview with The Takedown on SI, John Cena explained that wearing suits did not stop WWE fans from chanting for “one more match,” noting that active stars like Cody Rhodes frequently get physical in formal wear.

“I don’t wanna confuse the consumer. If I show up in dress shoes in a suit with a pocket watch, hopefully the consumer isn’t gonna think one more match,” Cena said. “That didn’t work. They still chanted one more match. And I love wearing suits. Also, Cody Rhodes gets beat up in suits. So, the one thing I was trying to accomplish was really murky.”

Comfort in the Ring and the “No-Fall-Downs” Policy

Ahead of the upcoming John Cena Classic, Cena has transitioned back to more casual attire during his appearances. He noted that wearing comfortable clothes allows him to interact naturally with the live crowd without worrying about the physical limitations of dress shoes and fitted tailoring.

“How do I feel most at home here? I love running to the ring. I love when the energy of the audience is there, and I can bounce around the ropes,” Cena explained. “If you look at WrestleMania, and those events that I show up in Tampa in a suit, I’m walking [very] carefully to the ring. The bottom of those shoes are slick, and I like a fitted suit, so I’m also worried about busting my pants.”

Despite returning to a more casual look, Cena emphasized that his retirement from wrestling is absolute. He confirmed he has adopted a strict “no-fall-downs” policy, meaning he will not take any physical bumps. He also clarified that fans have mistaken his recent attire for his classic ring gear.

“Those weren’t jorts in Brooklyn, and they weren’t jorts on NXT. I’m wearing cargo shorts,” Cena stated. “I’m not wearing any wristbands, I don’t have a towel and I don’t have any knee pads. So, when I said the jorts are retired, the f**king jorts are retired.”

Upcoming WWE SmackDown Appearance and John Cena Classic

Cena is scheduled to appear on the November 13 episode of WWE SmackDown to continue building toward the inaugural John Cena Classic. At least one more competitor is expected to be announced for the December 14 event at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, joining previously confirmed participants Cody Rhodes, Zilla Fatu, Kelani Jordan, Noam Dar, and Romeo Moreno.