John Cena Says He’ll Be Forgotten Weeks After Retirement

John Cena isn’t holding onto any false hopes about what happens after he steps out of the ring for good.

Appearing on episode The Joe Rogan Experience, the WWE legend got brutally honest about how quickly fans will move on after his final match—and he’s totally at peace with it. Cena is set to wrestle his last match on December 13, 2025, at Saturday Night’s Main Event against GUNTHER. During his conversation with Rogan, Cena made it crystal clear that once he’s gone, the WWE machine will keep moving without him—and so will the fans.

“I’m gonna retire on the 13th. They will be moved on by the Royal Rumble. That is real facts.”

He didn’t stop there. Cena doubled down on his prediction that nostalgia won’t linger long.

“I will be forgotten. That is not a plea to sympathy like ‘Always remember me.’ By the Royal Rumble and the road to WrestleMania, nobody gives a f**, because they’re focusing on what the show is.”*

The Royal Rumble is set to take place about six weeks after Cena’s final match. That event marks the official kickoff to the Road to WrestleMania, where WWE resets its focus on future storylines and marquee matches. Cena said that timing alone will bury his retirement news faster than people might expect.

“Three weeks after I retire, nobody’s gonna give a f**.”*

Beyond accepting his exit from the spotlight, Cena also used the interview to confirm, once again, that his retirement is final. No second runs. No surprise comebacks. No last-minute tag team appearances.

“I am absolutely 100% done. The 13th of December on Peacock is my last in-ring performance. I will never wrestle again.”

He explained that his farewell tour was mapped out a full year in advance to give fans closure and to avoid the kind of fake-outs that have plagued previous retirements in wrestling. Cena wanted to give WWE—and its audience—a clear finish line.

With GUNTHER now confirmed as his final opponent after winning the “Last Time Is Now” tournament on SmackDown, Cena’s story will officially end on December 13. But if he’s right, fans may already be onto the next thing before the confetti even hits the ground.