The Good and The Bad: The John Cena WWE Retirement Tour

While Cena controversially resorted to using heel tactics to secure the win, the historical significance of the moment will forever be regarded as iconic, as he cemented himself as the most decorated World Champion in WWE history. 

• Nostalgic Feuds

While the course of John Cena’s career featured many classic rivalries, none were arguably more iconic than the battles he had with Randy Orton and CM Punk. Thankfully, fans were treated to one final confrontation with each superstar during his retirement tour. 

Cena’s final chapter with Randy Orton took place in “The Viper’s” hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, at the Backlash PLE in May 2025. Billed as their final showdown, the anticipation of seeing the two legends square off one last time was immense. What made this matchup so unique, however, especially during the buildup, was the “bizarro” element of having, for the first time ever in their rivalry, Cena playing the heel persona, while Orton portrayed the babyface. 

The buildup to Cena’s final match with CM Punk at Night of Champions, a month later, played out in a similar manner as with Orton, with Cena embracing the untraditional heel role against Punk’s babyface role. The creative buildup was phenomenal, full of callbacks to their past, which only enhanced the rivalry, including Punk’s 2011 “Pipebomb” moment and Cena’s “Doctor of Thuganomics” character from 2002-2003.

• Intercontinental Championship Win

Throughout his career, the one elusive accolade that John Cena had failed to secure was the Intercontinental Championship. That all changed on the November 10, 2025, episode of Monday Night Raw in Boston, Massachusetts, when he defeated Dominik Mysterio to take the title belt. With this victory, Cena became a Grand Slam Champion in one fell swoop.

This historic victory, delivered just weeks before his retirement, provided a surprising, satisfying piece of closure for fans and a perfect capstone to cement Cena’s place as the Greatest of All Time.

• Stellar Matches

An underappreciated element of the retirement tour was the really good, technical matches that Cena (especially at the age of 48) was able to deliver during his final run. 

The Street Fight rematch with Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam was intense and memorable, involving kendo sticks, steel steps, and of course, the announce table. None was more so, however, than when Cena emerged from the stage on the “Codyvator” with Rhodes on his shoulders, and carried him back to the ring.  

Cena’s bout against Logan Paul at Clash in Paris was thrilling due to the technical skills executed by both superstars. Paul’s notable athleticism elevated the match, which did not involve any outside interference, and Cena met the challenge. The passionate atmosphere of the crowd throughout the bout only added to it, and Cena’s use of old moves to pay tribute to wrestlers who impacted his career was a satisfying surprise. 

AJ Styles had announced his own retirement in 2026 prior to facing Cena at Crown Jewel in Australia, and they put on a showstopper. This classic bout lasted nearly 30 minutes and took place entirely in the ring with no outside interference.

Fans were treated to a near-perfect masterpiece that pulled at their emotions by having both superstars honoring wrestlers who impacted their careers by executing their finishers during the bout—a perfect final chapter for their rivalry.