{"id":148459,"date":"2025-12-12T07:00:24","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T12:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=148459"},"modified":"2025-12-12T03:25:13","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T08:25:13","slug":"the-good-and-the-bad-in-the-john-cena-wwe-retirement-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2025\/12\/12\/the-good-and-the-bad-in-the-john-cena-wwe-retirement-tour\/","title":{"rendered":"The Good and The Bad: The John Cena WWE Retirement Tour"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ready or not, John Cena will bid farewell to the WWE universe at Saturday Night\u2019s Main Event this weekend, closing the door on an illustrious 23-year career full of shocking and entertaining moments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When Cena announced at Money in the Bank on July 6, 2024, that he would exit the ring one final time after a retirement run in 2025, it triggered shockwaves across the industry. WWE fans were saddened but hopeful for an epic final year, full of nostalgia and moments that would solidify why Cena is considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With one final match against Gunther left, the time is now to take a look back at the good and bad moments that defined Cena\u2019s retirement tour.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>The Good\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Heel Turn <\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On March 1, 2025, at the Elimination Chamber PLE in Toronto, Ontario (the same city where he announced his retirement), Cena won the Elimination Chamber match, cementing him a main event bout against Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, it was what took place following the matchup that became one of the most shocking moments in WWE history, as Cena became a heel, turning on Rhodes and \u201cselling his soul\u201d to The Rock.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While there have been rightful criticisms about Cena as a heel persona, the actual turn itself easily resulted in the most stunning and unexpected moments of the 2025 calendar. The shock value of having the wrestler who was always perceived as the ultimate babyface become a \u201cbad guy\u201d was one of the most creatively effective moments of Cena\u2019s retirement tour.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>17th WWE World Championship <\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heading into WrestleMania 41, Cena\u2019s final WrestleMania match was an opportunity for him to make history by becoming the only wrestler in WWE history to secure 17 WWE World championships. Cena would square off against Cody Rhodes after turning heel against him at the Elimination Chamber PLE, shocking the professional wrestling world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While many fans criticized the match due to things like slow pacing, poor choreography, and the interference of hip-hop artist Travis Scott, the moment Cena pinned Rhodes to become a 17-time champion was electric.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_133768\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-133768\" style=\"width: 960px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-133768 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/04\/20250301_WM41_CodyCena_16x9_Date-bfa4414ae9530745e948ca4bdfa7b409.jpg\" alt=\"WWE WrestleMania 41: Will John Cena End Cody Rhodes\u2019 Reign?\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/04\/20250301_WM41_CodyCena_16x9_Date-bfa4414ae9530745e948ca4bdfa7b409.jpg 960w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/04\/20250301_WM41_CodyCena_16x9_Date-bfa4414ae9530745e948ca4bdfa7b409-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/04\/20250301_WM41_CodyCena_16x9_Date-bfa4414ae9530745e948ca4bdfa7b409-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-133768\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Credit: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While Cena controversially resorted to using heel tactics to secure the win, the historical significance of the moment will forever be regarded as iconic, as he cemented himself as the most decorated World Champion in WWE history.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Nostalgic Feuds <\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the course of John Cena\u2019s career featured many classic rivalries, none were arguably more iconic than the battles he had with Randy Orton and CM Punk. Thankfully, fans were treated to one final confrontation with each superstar during his retirement tour.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cena&#8217;s final chapter with Randy Orton took place in \u201cThe Viper\u2019s\u201d hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, at the Backlash PLE in May 2025. Billed as their final showdown, the anticipation of seeing the two legends square off one last time was immense. What made this matchup so unique, however, especially during the buildup, was the \u201cbizarro\u201d element of having, for the first time ever in their rivalry, Cena playing the heel persona, while Orton portrayed the babyface.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The buildup to Cena\u2019s final match with CM Punk at Night of Champions, a month later, played out in a similar manner as with Orton, with Cena embracing the untraditional heel role against Punk\u2019s babyface role. The creative buildup was phenomenal, full of callbacks to their past, which only enhanced the rivalry, including Punk&#8217;s 2011 \u201cPipebomb\u201d moment and Cena\u2019s \u201cDoctor of Thuganomics\u201d character from 2002-2003.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Intercontinental Championship Win<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Throughout his career, the one elusive accolade that John Cena had failed to secure was the Intercontinental Championship. That all changed on the November 10, 2025, episode of Monday Night Raw in Boston, Massachusetts, when he defeated Dominik Mysterio to take the title belt. With this victory, Cena became a Grand Slam Champion in one fell swoop.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This historic victory, delivered just weeks before his retirement, provided a surprising, satisfying piece of closure for fans and a perfect capstone to cement Cena\u2019s place as the Greatest of All Time.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Stellar Matches<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An underappreciated element of the retirement tour was the really good, technical matches that Cena (especially at the age of 48) was able to deliver during his final run.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Street Fight rematch with Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam was intense and memorable, involving kendo sticks, steel steps, and of course, the announce table. None was more so, however, than when Cena emerged from the stage on the \u201cCodyvator\u201d with Rhodes on his shoulders, and carried him back to the ring.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cena\u2019s bout against Logan Paul at Clash in Paris was thrilling due to the technical skills executed by both superstars. Paul\u2019s notable athleticism elevated the match, which did not involve any outside interference, and Cena met the challenge. The passionate atmosphere of the crowd throughout the bout only added to it, and Cena\u2019s use of old moves to pay tribute to wrestlers who impacted his career was a satisfying surprise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AJ Styles had announced his own retirement in 2026 prior to facing Cena at Crown Jewel in Australia, and they put on a showstopper. This classic bout lasted nearly 30 minutes and took place entirely in the ring with no outside interference. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fans were treated to a near-perfect masterpiece that pulled at their emotions by having both superstars honoring wrestlers who impacted their careers by executing their finishers during the bout\u2014a perfect final chapter for their rivalry.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2><b>The Bad\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Limited Appearances<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the start of the retirement tour, it was announced that John Cena would be making 36 appearances throughout the 2025 calendar year. But in recent interviews during a media blitz by Cena to promote his final match, he revealed that he initially suggested making 220 appearances.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In reflection, it may seem illogical for him to have followed through on that many appearances, in large part due to his age and risk of injury. There are, however, a few points worth noting. If Cena, who is widely considered to be the greatest of all time and is a legitimate box office attraction, was willing to commit to that, creative should have jumped at the opportunity to make it happen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What fans received wasn\u2019t even a meeting in the middle, but over 83% less than what Cena offered. One of the biggest criticisms of Cena\u2019s retirement tour is the at times jarring and disjointed storylines that often had no smooth transitions from one to the next. Had Cena made even 50 more appearances, it would most definitely have helped creatively with storytelling, especially his heel run. And had the WWE creative department planned out the entire year from start to finish, each of the 36 appearances he actually made would have been utilized more effectively.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Heel Run<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the heel turn itself was undeniably iconic and legendary, the heel run proved largely unsuccessful and ultimately disappointing. Although there were some elements deserving of praise, such as the promos delivered in Brussels and London, and the Reverse Pipebomb with Punk, upon reflection, the negative factors outweigh the positive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Part of the blame for the unsuccessful heel run lies with The Rock, as the man who initiated one of the biggest heel turns of all time, and then entirely disappeared following Elimination Chamber, causing a major storyline hole.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perhaps the biggest failure, however, is that there was never any specific reason as to why Cena turned heel in the first place. Having Cena reveal feelings of jealousy of the devotion that Cody Rhodes received as a top star babyface, where, on the flip side, back in the day, Cena often received boos, or even the emotions of a desperate, aging star needing to win at all costs, would have made the heel persona far more understandable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Brock Lesnar Match<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If fans thought the Cena vs. Rhodes match at WrestleMania was going to be Cena\u2019s worst of the year, his bout at Wrestlepalooza with long-time rival Brock Lesnar said \u201chold my beer\u201d and took it to a new level of bad.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With this meeting being billed as the \u201cfinal match\u201d between Cena and Lesnar, many envisioned Cena finally being able to get over the hurdle of his ultimate kryptonite: \u201cThe Beast Incarnate.\u201d Unfortunately, what we got instead was a sequel to their match at SummerSlam in 2014, where Lesnar mercilessly squashed Cena.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cena explained recently that the reason Creative went in this direction was to reestablish the dominance of Lesnar as a feared competitor. Lesnar\u2019s name and his history in the industry, however, made this unnecessary. What fans received was a nearly 9-minute beatdown that saw Lesnar completely destroy Cena, who was only able to muster a few moves in response. Shocking and pointless.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">John Cena\u2019s retirement tour delivered moments of spectacular highs and memorable moments of historic achievement, but it was not without criticism. Some frustrating storylines and questionable creative decisions ultimately left fans with a sense of disappointment about what could have been.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>More From LWOS Pro Wrestling<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em><i>Header photo \u2013 WWE \u2013 Stay tuned to the\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/\" target=\"_self\"><em><u><i>Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i> for more on John Cena and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the significant news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><i>You can check out WWE programming on\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.netflix.com\/title\/81788927\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>Netflix<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0(Raw),\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usanetwork.com\/wwe-friday-night-smackdown\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>USA Network<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0(SmackDown),\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cwtv.com\/shows\/wwe-nxt\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>The CW<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0(NXT),\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/tubitv.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>Tubi<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0(WWE Evolve),\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aetv.com\/wwe\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>A&amp;E<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0(WWE Superstar Sunday \u2013 Rivals, WWE LFG, and Greatest Moments), and\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peacocktv.com\/watch\/home\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>Peacock<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>\u00a0(WWE Main Event, as well as archives and premium live event streaming). Follow WWE on social media to relive top moments and matches on\u00a0<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/wwe\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>YouTube<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>, and catch fast-paced action on X (<\/i><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/i\/events\/1773457579022155776?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em><u><i>WWE Speed<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a><em><i>).<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ready or not, John Cena will bid farewell to the WWE universe at Saturday Night\u2019s Main Event this weekend, closing the door on an illustrious 23-year career full of shocking and entertaining moments.\u00a0 When Cena announced at Money in the Bank on July 6, 2024, that he would exit the ring one final time after [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5699,"featured_media":136855,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7205,4,3],"tags":[165],"class_list":["post-148459","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history","category-wwe","category-wwe-universe","tag-john-cena"],"modified_by":"Michael Joseph Sugue, Manager","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148459","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5699"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=148459"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148459\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":148470,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148459\/revisions\/148470"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/136855"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=148459"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=148459"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=148459"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}