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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 out on top against “The Ring General” was a decision that pro wrestling fans have debated intensely over the last five months. The loss marked the end of Cena’s career, but also catapulted Gunther into a “career killer,” who later ended A.J. Styles’ time in WWE too.
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Cody Rhodes and CM Punk present John Cena with the Undisputed WWE Championship and the World Heavyweight Championship during Saturday Night’s Main Event at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 13, 2025. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
Videographer Adam Glyn caught up with Cena on Thursday and asked him about the fans’ reaction to his final match. Cena suggested that it was the best ending for him.
“I think we all just live in the moment, right? I think, this is just my perspective, and if people were upset, that’s their right, of course, you can feel how you want to feel. I had a career that was polarizing. That’s the world Michael Cole uses a lot,” Cena said. “That was a polite word for people (who) would chant at the top of their lungs that ‘I suck.’
“So, I think with the last match, the audience was polarized. There were people who understood and were entertained in a positive way. There were people who were so in the moment and reacted with such passion, it was like a microcosm of my career. The audience was split. I can’t think of a better way to close the chapter than that. It defines what I did.”
John Cena hosts WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Cena is set to be a WWE Hall of Famer when the time comes, and while his in-ring career may be over, he’s still a part of the WWE Universe.
He announced at Backlash that he will host the John Cena Classic in hopes of showcasing WWE talent from NXT to give fans a glimpse into what the future will hold for the company. Similarly, he hand-picked 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 had to be worked out.
John Cena makes his entrance during Monday Night RAW at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, on Nov. 10, 2025. (Michael Marques/WWE)
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“I am 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.”