John Cena is undoubtedly one of WWE’s greatest performers, having earned the respect and recognition he deserves from fans and the industry. The Superstar has had some iconic matches that have defined him, and his in-ring persona has become iconic. He and Ric Fair still hold the record for most WWE World Championship reigns with 16 titles each.
One of the most intense and entertaining storylines involving Cena was with Dwayne Johnson in the early 2010s. The two egged each other on, but the feud became personal when Cena criticized The Rock for favoring Hollywood more than the WWE. Looking back, Cena was embarrassed by his selfish actions and apologized to both Johnson and his mother.
John Cena went on an apology tour after messing up his WWE rivalry with Dwayne Johnson
John Cena was involved in an intense WWE rivalry with Dwayne Johnson throughout 2012 and 2013. In the lead-up to WrestleMania 28 in 2012, Cena and Johnson traded blows to set up an exciting feud that culminated in a main event at WrestleMania. However, Cena went too far and included his personal feud against Johnson’s WWE hiatus from 2004 to 2011.
Cena has since expressed regret for what he did. Although his words and their feud sold tickets and brought millions of viewers to their 2012 and 2013 WrestleMania matches, it strained the personal bond they had. The Peacemaker The star believed that he had abused Johnson’s trust and that his selfish and immature behavior had caused a rift between them that he tried to mend.
In an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused Podcast, Cena revealed that after WrestleMania 28, he went straight to Johnson’s mother and apologized for any harm his words may have caused her. He told her that his only intention was to sell tickets and he regretted going too far with that. Cena also apologized to Johnson and recognized that his view of him was wrong from the start. He said:
The first thing I did was go to Dwayne’s mom, give her a big hug, and say, “I know you grew up in this business. I hope you understand my perspective, because I said some bad things to make you feel bad about me, and I said some bad things about your son.” She immediately forgave me. Not only did I hope he understood my perspective, but a year later, I knew my perspective was wrong.
Cena believes he and Johnson could have planned their feud in the ring and worked together and discussed how to perfectly stage a rivalry that would sell tickets. Although their match achieved iconic status, Cena feels guilty about focusing everything on himself and business and not realizing what he did wrong at the time.
John Cena confirms there will be no comeback after his retirement in 2025
John Cena recently announced that he will retire at the end of 2025 and has 30-40 dates booked for this year (via ESPN). Unlike other WWE Superstars like The Rock, who left/retired from WWE twice in 2004 and 2019 and returned after a few years, Cena stated that no amount of money in the world would entice him to return after his retirement.
In a recent interview with Comicbook.com, Cena revealed that he doesn’t want to overstay his WWE membership just to gain financial gain or satisfy his ego. He meant what he said, and December 2025 will indeed be his last time in the ring. Cena said:
There is no check writer with enough money that can change my mind if I quit in December. I don’t want to continue out of selfishness or financial interest. I’ve built a relationship of trust and authenticity with WWE over the years, and that means the people who think I suck and the people who believe in me know that I’m honest with them and trustworthy. I mean what I’m saying: When I’m done in December, I’m done. It’s the last time I’m in a ring.
After his recent comeback as Final Boss, Johnson has no plans to retire again as he told Cody Rhodes that he would come back for him. On the other hand, Cena is clear about his retirement plans and has no interest in extending his WWE appearances beyond 2025. The Peacemaker The star will also go on a farewell tour next year called “The Last Time is Now John Cena Farewell Tour.”
