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John Cena’s final run in his in-ring career with WWE began with a spectacular heel turn, a 17th championship and ended with a loss to Gunther in December.
Cena not winning against “The Ring General” is a decision that professional wrestling fans have debated intensely over the past five months. The loss marked the end of Cena’s career, but also catapulted Gunther into a “career killer”, which also ended AJ Styles’ time in WWE.
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Cody Rhodes and CM Punk hand John Cena the undisputed WWE title and the world heavyweight title during Saturday night’s main event at the Capital One Arena in Washington, DC on December 13, 2025. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
Videographer Adam Glyn caught up with Cena on Thursday and asked him about the fan reaction to his latest match. Cena suggested it was the best ending for him.
“I think we all live in the moment, right? I think that’s just my perspective, and if people were upset that’s their right, of course you can feel whatever you want to feel. I’ve had a polarizing career. That’s the world that Michael Cole uses a lot,” Cena said. “It was a polite word for people (who) were chanting at the top of their lungs ‘I’m rubbish.’
“So I think with the last match, the crowd 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 crowd was divided. I can’t think of a better way to close the chapter than that. It defines what I’ve done.”
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John Cena hosts WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Cena is expected to become a member of the WWE Hall of Fame when the time comes, and even though his in-ring career is over, he is still a part of the WWE Universe.
He announced at Backlash that he would be hosting the John Cena Classic in hopes of showcasing WWE talent from NXT to give fans a glimpse of what the future holds for the company. Likewise, he selected NXT competitors to share his final card with him during Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Cena told Glyn he was “super excited” about the event. He said there were still some things to be worked out.
John Cena makes his entrance on Monday Night RAW at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts on November 10, 2025. (Michael Marques/WWE)
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“I’m fully invested in this,” he said. “So, I can’t wait to see how it goes. I can’t wait for us to announce the date and the location. I think that’s obviously the first step and we’ll go from there.”
