John Cena knows his in-ring career is on the horizon, and he’s trying to figure out the next steps.
16-time world champion John Cena was the face of WWE for years, but he has transitioned into a successful career in Hollywood. He returned for a brief run in the fall of 2023, as he received permission from SAG-AFTRA during the strike.
Speaking with Sean Neumann for PEOPLE, John Cena commented on his future and noted that he does not have much time left in WWE. He stated that he is trying to work on his exit strategy.
“I turned 47 this past year and I don’t have much time left in the WWE,” John Cena said. “I think it’s just the demand of age. You know, I’m trying to figure out when to close that chapter,” Cena says about his pro wrestling career, which first began back in 1998.
“I wouldn’t be who I am — professionally or personally — without the WWE, and I promised myself that I would never simply just be there for my own sake,” he says. “Every time I perform, I want to give my all to the audience. And I’ve got to admit when I hit the 45 mark, I had to begin to try to form an exit strategy and I’m trying to work on that currently.”
Cena then repeated his past comments about how he wants to do what’s best for the company, whatever that may mean. He stated that he would be willing to listen to whatever WWE had to say about how to let everyone know this chapter was over.
John Cena Wants To Be A Mentor Or Coach
During the interview, John Cena also stated that he hopes to be a mentor or coach for the next generation someday. He noted that he often visits the WWE Performance Center, as he has plenty if wisdom to give.
“I do have almost two and a half decades of wisdom built up where I think I can offer a mentor perspective for sure,” John Cena said. “So, if I am not integrated with the WWE family moving forward and in perpetuity, then I think it’s a waste for everyone involved.”
John Cena Aims To Leave WWE With His Head Up High
John Cena went on to state that it is difficult to step away, given how much time he has invested in it. He also explained that he felt fortunate to be able to pursue different things
“When you have a certain amount of fluency and you’re fortunate enough to have a long career in something like wrestling and you gain that, I guess you’d say 10,000 hours of mastery, it is tough to step away because you’ve invested so much of yourself in it,” John Cena said. “Most athletes’ careers last three-to-five years. We’re talking 20 years here for me. So, you’ve got to ask yourself, like, what else do I know? What else do I want to pursue? What else am I curious about? I have been fortunate to be able to open up a whole new Pandora’s box of curiosity and things that I’m interested in.”
“I basically just want to still leave WWE with my head up high and for the audience to be able to appreciate the effort that I’ve given.”
John Cena has not appeared on WWE programming since he lost to Solo Sikoa at WWE Crown Jewel. As of this writing, there is no word on when he will return.
