Add as a preferred source on Google John Cena may be retired from the ring, but he does not plan to fully step away from WWE.
In a recent interview with The Takedown on SI, the 17-time world champion said his main goal now is to find a way to keep contributing to the company outside the ring.
“I just want to try to develop a way to pay it back and pay it forward for all the moments I was able to have.”
“My goal is to leave the business better than I found it and there has to be some acumen behind it. (This is) a chance for the business to continue to get energy from me, because they’ve given me so much energy. I pride myself as a brand partner, because that’s great for WWE. It’s great for us individually. People around the world, around the globe, take pro wrestling more seriously, which leaves the business better than you found it. That’s all I’m trying to do.”
Cena wrapped up his in-ring career on December 13, 2025, at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, D.C., where he was defeated by Gunther.
The former wrestler had also previously revealed that he signed a new five-year deal to serve as a WWE ambassador, a role that could include special appearances, brand initiatives and even helping younger talent.
At WrestleMania 42, Cena already appeared in that new role, serving as the host of the event in Las Vegas. According to Cena, that kind of presence helps people around the world take pro wrestling more seriously, which, to him, is also part of leaving the industry better than he found it.