John Cena announces he's retiring from WWE
John Cena, a popular professional wrestler turned actor, has announced that his WWE career as a competitor will come to a close.
(NEXSTAR) -- John Cena, one of the most popular professional wrestlers of the last two decades, announced his WWE career as a competitor will come to an end in 2025 and WrestleMania in Las Vegas will be his last.
Cena made a surprise appearance at WWE's Money in the Bank event Saturday night in Toronto to announce a farewell tour of sorts.
The 16-time WWE champion has made sporadic appearances in the wrestling ring over the last few years as his stock as a Hollywood actor continues to rise.
In a news conference late Saturday, Cena revealed he plans to work 30-40 dates for WWE next year spanning from January to December.
Cena recently said in interviews over the last few months that his time as a wrestler would be ending soon, noting he didn't want to compete past his prime. Cena is 47 years old.
The Boston-area native mentioned he will participate in the 2025 Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber ahead of WrestleMania 41. He'll also be part of the WWE flagship television program RAW as it makes the transition to Netflix next year.
Cena last appeared in WWE as part of festivities at WrestleMania 40, coming to the aid of Cody Rhodes as he battled for the championship against Roman Reigns. Cena went face-to-face with longtime rival Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson during that contest.
WrestleMania in 2025 will take place on Saturday, April 19, and Sunday, April 20, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.