The 2024 WWE Money In The Bank pay-per-view event was highlighted by the unexpected return of John Cena, who revealed his future retirement from professional wrestling scheduled for 2025.
Cena committed to remaining actively involved in WWE events in the upcoming year, with a goal of wrestling in 30-40 matches before retiring.
WWE Hall of Famer Booker T shared his insights on Cena’s looming retirement tour on a recent episode of his podcast, “Hall of Fame”. He emphasized that Cena’s legacy does not hinge on the need to beat Ric Flair’s record of sixteen world championships.
Highlights from the podcast are shared below:
Booker T’s perspective on Cena’s retirement: “John Cena has always been a diligent and dedicated professional, always the first to arrive and the last to leave. He was a diligent student who never shied away from hard work and always paid heed to advice given. Cena’s dedication extended beyond the ring as he diligently involved himself in initiatives like Make-A-Wish. Retirement on his own terms, is certainly a proud moment for someone like Cena who has contributed immensely in the field.”
“Cena’s heart was always in the right place. Witnessing his growth over the years has been truly remarkable. When I came to know about his retirement, all I wanted to do was congratulate him.”
On the prospect of Cena breaking the World Title record: “I believe that Cena’s farewell tour should not solely revolve around the possibility of him winning the title. The focus should be on his contribution and his wrestling capabilities. Putting the title up for grabs would mean that he would need to defend it, and given his part-time status, it would be an uphill task. Cena has always maintained his stance on not being a part-timer, and to place him in a situation that contradicts his beliefs would be rather hypocritical. Personally, I rather envision Cena making 30 appearances instead of having 30 matches. After all, Cena doesn’t need to prove his worth to anyone.”