{"id":148683,"date":"2025-12-20T06:00:30","date_gmt":"2025-12-20T11:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=148683"},"modified":"2025-12-19T21:11:15","modified_gmt":"2025-12-20T02:11:15","slug":"5-of-the-most-noteworthy-moments-from-the-john-cena-wwe-retirement-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2025\/12\/20\/5-of-the-most-noteworthy-moments-from-the-john-cena-wwe-retirement-tour\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Most Noteworthy Moments from the John Cena WWE Retirement Tour"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Cenation is still reeling from the emotional conclusion to John Cena&#8217;s illustrious WWE career. As Michael Cole poignantly stated, &#8220;professional wrestling destroyed sports entertainment&#8221; as Gunther made Cena tap out in the Greatest of All Time&#8217;s final wrestling match at WWE Saturday Night&#8217;s Main Event XLII.<\/p>\n<p>2025 was Cena&#8217;s final year as a competitor. The Leader of the Cenation graced us with his presence on TV 36 times. Judging by the reaction online, the farewell tour was a mixed bag for many fans. Nonetheless, there were quite a few noteworthy moments that will live on in memory for decades.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>#5. John Cena Pays Tribute to Bray Wyatt<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The WWE Universe wanted John Cena vs. AJ Styles, and they got their wish at Crown Jewel 2025 in Perth. Given the string of thrillers that had preceded their final dance, expectations were understandably high for Cena vs. Styles in Australia. However, both legends outdid themselves, piecing together a match that was a &#8220;love letter to pro wrestling.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The Greatest of All Time and The Phenomenal One paid tribute to former rivals who had shaped their respective career trajectories. However, it was Cena who delivered the most touching tribute of the match. Stealing a move from the playbook of the late Bray Wyatt, the Champ floored Styles with the Sister Abigail.<\/p>\n<p>We, unfortunately, were never going to see Cena vs. Wyatt again, but the Never Seen 17 still found a way to honor Wyatt&#8217;s legacy. The entire crowd popped for the sequence, and the fireflies immediately came out, creating one of the most mesmerizing images of 2025.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"John Cena honors Bray Wyatt with a Sister Abigail to AJ Styles: Crown Jewel 2025 highlights\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mE7T-CMcUjk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2><strong>#4. John Cena Drops Pipebomb on CM Punk<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>For many hardcore fans, John Cena&#8217;s heel run reached the next level during his short WWE Championship feud with CM Punk. It all started with Cena daring Punk to challenge him at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia. This was a clear reference to Punk&#8217;s past critique of the company&#8217;s partnership with the kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>However, with the roles reversed, Cena and Punk went at each other one last time. Their final chapter piqued when the Never Seen 17 recreated Punk&#8217;s famous &#8220;Pipebomb&#8221; promo on June 27. It was a telling throwback to the beginning of the &#8220;Summer of Punk,&#8221; only this time it was Cena with the mic and Punk was lifeless through a table.<\/p>\n<p>The parallels were striking as the Champ blurred the lines between fiction and reality. He broke the fourth wall, referencing men not employed with WWE, like Nic Nemeth and Matt Cordona. The segment breathed life into Cena&#8217;s heel run and increased excitement for his match with the Straight Edge Superstar at Night of Champions.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"FULL SEGMENT: John Cena recreates CM Punk&#039;s famous \u201cpipebomb\u201d: SmackDown, June 20, 2025\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/47otpATArSM?start=73&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2><strong>#3. The &#8220;Old John Cena&#8221; Comes Back at SummerSlam<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Two nights before SummerSlam: Night Two, John Cena suddenly realized who he truly was and turned face. The heel turn had proven a controversial decision, but the WWE Universe was glad that the Leader of the Cenation was back.<\/p>\n<p>Nonetheless, given Cena&#8217;s antics in the preceding months, nothing was certain, and the supposed face turn could have been a trap.\u00a0 The stadium exploded with joy as the black titantron gave way to the colorful scenes fans had grown up watching. It was clear as day that the &#8220;Old John Cena&#8221; was back. Cena ran down the ramp with smiles all across his face.<\/p>\n<p>As for the match, it was near perfect. Cena and Rhodes went at each other for nearly 40 minutes, digging deep into their respective playbooks. The 17-time World Champion hit the AAs on virtually every corner of the stadium, but in the end, the American Nightmare had the final laugh.<\/p>\n<p>Cena had passed the torch to his successor at SummerSlam, and he soaked in the applause. The celebration was cut short by a returning Brock Lesnar, adding some shock value to the segment.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"John Cena returns to original entrance in final SummerSlam: SummerSlam 2025 highlights\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3fRMhaf50To?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2><strong>#2. Cena wins his 17th World Championship<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena in the main event of WrestleMania: Night Two was underwhelming. The match never really got going, and Travis Scott&#8217;s interference in the climax was anticlimactic. Fans were glad that both men got to redeem themselves at SummerSlam a few months later.<\/p>\n<p>Nonetheless, history was made in Vegas. Cena broke Ric Flair&#8217;s record and won his historic 17th World Championship. Although his methods were far from clean, the moment was pretty significant. Unfortunately, due to his status as a heel, the Champ couldn&#8217;t celebrate with the audience.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_134162\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-134162\" style=\"width: 960px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-134162 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/03\/20250301_WM41_CodyCena_16x9_Date-bfa4414ae9530745e948ca4bdfa7b409-1.jpg\" alt=\"WWE WrestleMania 41: Sunday Night Results (4\/20\/25)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/03\/20250301_WM41_CodyCena_16x9_Date-bfa4414ae9530745e948ca4bdfa7b409-1.jpg 960w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/03\/20250301_WM41_CodyCena_16x9_Date-bfa4414ae9530745e948ca4bdfa7b409-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/03\/20250301_WM41_CodyCena_16x9_Date-bfa4414ae9530745e948ca4bdfa7b409-1-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-134162\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Credit: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In terms of euphoria and entertainment value, Cena&#8217;s 17th World Title win may have fallen short of expectations. However, it was still a significant outcome that cemented his legacy as &#8220;The Greatest of All Time.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"17-TIME! John Cena defeats Cody Rhodes to break title record: WrestleMania 41 Sunday highlights\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/djVjTUsSRdU?start=3&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<h2><strong>#1. &#8220;Super Cena&#8221; taps out in his final match<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>This one has the benefit of recency, but fans will remember the closing moments of John Cena&#8217;s final match for decades. Gunther, the Never Seen 17&#8217;s last opponent, had vowed to make Cena &#8220;give up&#8221; and tarnish the legend&#8217;s legacy. However, the Cenation was in full force, and they backed their hero to pull out one last heroic performance.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Super Cena&#8221; did make a brief comeback at Saturday Night&#8217;s Main Event. AA after AA, Cena pulled out all the stops. He even survived Gunther&#8217;s vice-like grip in the Sleeper Hold amid chants of &#8220;Don&#8217;t Give Up.&#8221; Unfortunately, the Never Seen 17 knew that his time was up, and he peacefully tapped out to the horror of the live crowd.<\/p>\n<p>The Ring General received nuclear heat following his historic win. Fans have likened this moment to Brock Lesnar ending The Undertaker&#8217;s WrestleMania Streak. The history books will remind the Cenation that their leader tapped out in his farewell match at Saturday Night&#8217;s Main Event.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Crowd reactions to John Cena&#039;s loss: Saturday Night&#039;s Main Event, highlights, Dec. 13, 2025\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cOt7JU2wXJw?start=21&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong><b>More From LWOS Pro Wrestling<\/b><\/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 major 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>The Cenation is still reeling from the emotional conclusion to John Cena&#8217;s illustrious WWE career. As Michael Cole poignantly stated, &#8220;professional wrestling destroyed sports entertainment&#8221; as Gunther made Cena tap out in the Greatest of All Time&#8217;s final wrestling match at WWE Saturday Night&#8217;s Main Event XLII. 2025 was Cena&#8217;s final year as a competitor. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5689,"featured_media":148526,"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":[7205,2192,4,3],"tags":[165],"class_list":["post-148683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history","category-wrestling","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\/148683","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\/5689"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=148683"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148683\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":149075,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148683\/revisions\/149075"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/148526"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=148683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=148683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=148683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}