John Cena has definitively stated that no amount of money will persuade him to return to professional wrestling after his planned farewell tour concludes in 2025. During a recent appearance at Fan Expo Canada, in response to fan chants of "One more match," Cena asserted that neither WWE president Nick Khan nor AEW owner Tony Khan could offer a sum large enough to bring him back to the ring.
"I’m out, dog. No Khan has got the pocketbook," Cena said. "Nick, Tony, they ain’t got the money. I’m out. And I’m going to take your chant and say that because a lot of you folks spent a whole lot of resources on my farewell tour. If I decide to selfishly come back for ego-driven reasons, basically that’s saying I’m lying to every one of y’all."
Cena elaborated on his decision, noting the financial commitment fans made to witness his final matches. He expressed concern that a return would be a disservice to those who invested significantly, especially families who saved to attend. "You might not mind, but there are people who paid a fortune to sit at that last match. And for me to be like, ‘Just kidding’ … I met so many families that put so much effort into saving just to see those moments," he explained.
He also cited his current physical condition and mental clarity as reasons for staying retired. "For me, I’m out of it with my health. I feel good. I got good clarity and good closure. As far as me falling down ever again, that’s out," Cena stated.
Cena's farewell tour saw him adopt a heel persona, leading to a main event match at WrestleMania 41 against Cody Rhodes, where he won the Undisputed WWE Championship. He later lost the title to Rhodes at SummerSlam. He also had a brief Intercontinental Championship run before concluding his in-ring career with a final match loss against Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Since his in-ring performances have wound down, Cena has appeared on WWE programming in an announcer capacity. He previously announced at Backlash in May that a "John Cena Classic" is forthcoming to highlight emerging talent within the WWE roster, though specific details about this event remain unclear.