“I remember when I was a young kid back in 2002, thinking I’d never get a chance, and then when I did, I came up in a young, hungry class and I think if I hang around any longer than now, I’m taking time away from those young guys who can be the next,” Cena, 48, told Jimmy Fallon during a recent appearance on The Tonight Show.
The wrestler-turned-actor went on to say that his age has played a major factor in his decision.
“I know I look a little younger than I am, but I’m 48, man, I’ll be 49 next year,” Cena added. “I’m grateful, very grateful to say that the WWE has given me almost 25 years to go out and do my thing and be invisible and it’s been fantastic…My body is screaming at me to close the chapter.”
Cena previously opened up about his retirement plans in 2024, telling People, “I’m not as strong or as fast as I used to be.”
“I made a promise when I started gaining some notoriety that when I’m a step slower, I will go, because there will be kids just as hungry as I was who have earned a shot to see if they can make it.”
While he may be retiring from the job that made him a household name, Cena won’t be slowing down anytime soon.
“My goal is to be physically active until I can’t,” he said. “I put a number in my head of like, I’d like to be physically active into my late 80s or 90s. To do a parallel squat in my late 80s. My training used to be based on every single day, be the strongest you can for that day. Now I have my eyes set 40 years down the road.”
Why WWE’s John Cena, 48, Says He’s Ready to Retire first appeared on Men’s Journal on Aug 14, 2025
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