John Cena retired from in-ring competition in December 2025, but for years he believed his farewell had already happened at WWE WrestleMania 36.
Speaking with Alistair McGeorge of Metro, Cena said he viewed the Firefly Fun House Match against Bray Wyatt in 2020 as the definitive end of his pro wrestling career.
“Honestly, no kidding. I thought the Firefly Fun House was going to be the last match of my career. I really did think that the Firefly Fun House match was going to be the tail end, and that was kind of a meta journey for me through facing all of my demons, and then letting go.”
Wyatt defeated Cena in the first-ever Firefly Fun House Match at WrestleMania 36, which took place without fans during the COVID-19 pandemic. The cinematic match revisited moments from Cena’s career.
Cena wouldn’t work another major televised match until SummerSlam 2021, when he faced Roman Reigns.
Cena also said his body has felt a significant difference since stepping away from the ring last year.
“I have looked essentially the same for the entire run of my adulthood. So training-wise, [retirement] isn’t any different. The biggest reward is physical activity, especially in these last four years; [it] has been incredibly tough on the body.”
“So I’m walking twisted, and I got to put so much effort into making everything right again before I can train again. Man, now the workouts are great because I’m not doing as much getting everything right. The car is spending less time in the shop and more time on the track.”
Despite constant calls for one more match, Cena continues to treat his retirement as final. At Fan Expo Canada last Sunday, he reiterated that he’s happy with his health and the way he went out.