The Last Time is Now: John Cena’s Farewell Tour Kicks Off with a Bang
Wrestling fans, brace yourselves because the moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here. The legendary John Cena has officially embarked on his retirement tour, and it’s already shaping up to be an unforgettable journey. The tour kicked off with a bang during the Netflix debut of “Monday Night Raw” on January 6, and Cena has promised to wrestle 30 to 40 matches in 2025 to mark his final year in the ring.
Since 2018, Cena has been wrestling part-time, but this year, he’s going all out. During his appearance at the Intuit Dome, Cena teased fans with a tantalizing list of potential opponents for his final match. Could it be the social media sensation Logan Paul? Or perhaps the controversial CM Punk? Maybe the dominant Roman Reigns would be a fitting final opponent? The possibilities are endless, and fans are eagerly speculating who will have the honor of facing Cena in his last match.
Let’s dive into some of the highlights from “The Last Time is Now John Cena Farewell Tour” and see what Cena has been up to so far.
Booed in Brussels — March 17
“I am not a heel, I’m a human being.”
In a shocking turn of events, John Cena made it clear that he’s done playing the hero during an appearance on Monday Night Raw in Belgium. The WWE icon fully embraced his heel turn with a venomous rant aimed directly at the fans. “For 25 years, I have been the victim of an abusive relationship,” he declared. “All I did was work hard and win. And what did I get for it? I got hate. It was never enough for you.” The crowd erupted in boos as Cena continued, “I don’t need you.”
But WWE champion Cody Rhodes wasn’t having any of it. “Where’s the guy on this shirt, right here?” Rhodes said, motioning toward the illustration of Cena performing his signature salute on his shirt. Calling Cena “whiny,” Rhodes set the stage for their WrestleMania 41 clash, a massive showdown set for April 19 in Las Vegas.
Looks like John Cena has finally EMBRACED THE HATE!#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/ftOu4r8EM1
— WWE (@WWE) March 17, 2025
*mic drop*#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/rPb46JuRTN
— WWE (@WWE) March 17, 2025
Heel Turn at the Elimination Chamber — Mar. 1
In his final WWE Elimination Chamber match, Cena and longtime rival CM Punk were the last two wrestlers standing. Cena prevailed over Punk, winning his record-tying fourth Chamber match and securing his spot at WrestleMania 41.
THEN. NOW. FOREVER. TONIGHT.#WWEChamber pic.twitter.com/0OQGtdns37
— WWE (@WWE) March 2, 2025
CENA WINS! CENA WINS! CENA WINS!#WWEChamber pic.twitter.com/zva1l6I7eK
— WWE (@WWE) March 2, 2025
Later, after Cody Rhodes rejected The Rock’s offer for his soul, Cena turned heel and viciously beat Rhodes after initially shaking his hand and hugging him. As a result of winning the Elimination Chamber match, Cena will challenge Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE championship at WrestleMania 41.
— WWE (@WWE) March 2, 2025
A Loss in His Final Royal Rumble — Feb. 1
Cena looked like he was about to win his third Royal Rumble, with only Jey Uso in his way. Uso rallied, however, tossing Cena out of the ring and shocking the wrestling world.
JEY USO just won the 2025 Men’s #RoyalRumble Match! pic.twitter.com/xAy0S6ArHn
— WWE (@WWE) February 2, 2025
Farewell, Los Angeles. Hello, Indianapolis. — Jan. 6
“I’m not just going to the Royal Rumble, I’m going to win the Royal Rumble!”
Cena shared that Monday Night Raw’s first show of the year would be his final WWE appearance in the City of Angels. After thanking Los Angeles — and more specifically, Inglewood — he made a declaration implicating that he’s looking to get his 17th world championship, which would break his tie with Ric Flair for most in WWE history.
While running through the options of how he could achieve that goal, Cena settled on the Royal Rumble before declaring he would win it. The Royal Rumble is on February 1 in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium.
- John Cena’s retirement tour is underway, with 30 to 40 matches planned for 2025.
- Potential final opponents include Logan Paul, CM Punk, and Roman Reigns.
- Cena’s heel turn has added a new twist to his farewell tour.
- His final Royal Rumble appearance ended in a shocking loss to Jey Uso.
- Cena will challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE championship at WrestleMania 41.
Originally Written by: Brianna Williams
