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John Cena’s final run of his in-ring career with WWE started with a dramatic heel turn, a 17th championship and ended with a loss to Gunther in December.
Cena not going on top against “The Ring General” was a decision that pro wrestling fans have debated intensely over the past five months. The loss marked the end of Cena’s career, but also catapulted Gunther into a “career killer” that later also ended AJ Styles’ time in WWE.
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Cody Rhodes and CM Punk present John Cena for the Undisputed WWE Championship and World Heavyweight Championship during Saturday Night’s Main Event at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC on December 13, 2025. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
Videographer Adam Glyn caught up with Cena on Thursday and asked him about the fan reaction to his last match. Cena suggested it was the best ending for him.
“I think we all just live in the moment, right? I think that’s just my perspective and if people were upset, of course that’s their right, you can feel how you want to feel. I had a career that was polarizing. That’s the world that Michael Cole uses a lot,” Cena said. “It was a polite word for people (who) would sing at the top of their lungs that ‘I suck.’
“So, I think with the last fight, the crowd was polarized. There were people who understood and were entertained in a positive way. There were people who were so in the moment and responded with such passion, it was like a microcosm of my career. The crowd was divided. I can’t imagine a better way to close the chapter than that. It defines what I did.”
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John Cena will host WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Cena is set to become a WWE Hall of Famer when the time comes, and while his in-ring career may be over, he is still a part of the WWE Universe.
He announced at Backlash that he will be hosting the John Cena Classic in hopes of showcasing WWE talent from NXT to give fans a glimpse of what the future holds for the company. Likewise, he handpicked NXT competitors to share his final card with him at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Cena told Glyn he was “super excited” about the event. He said there were still some things that needed to be worked out.
John Cena makes his debut on Monday Night RAW at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts on November 10, 2025. (Michael Marques/WWE)
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“I’m fully invested in this,” he said. “So I can’t wait to see what it is. I can’t wait until we announce the date and location. I think that’s obviously step one and we’ll go from there.”
