Did John Cena retire from WWE? Career titles, record & next match for wrestler-turned-actor

Since showing "Ruthless Aggression" in his WWE debut in 2002, John Cena has become an iconic figure in the world of pro wrestling. Considered one of the greatest to wear wrestling boots sneakers and jorts, Cena helped further popularize WWE following the Attitude Era. 

From the “Doctor of Thuganomics” to a multi-time world champion and “Super Cena,” Cena always gets mixed results. That has helped him become a polarizing figure and a true giant in the industry. 

While he has focused on his movie and TV career as of late (starring in The Marine, The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker, Daddy’s Home, and Fast X), Cena always remembers where he came from. Giving back to WWE has been something Cena relishes, whether to promote a top talent or enhance a story. 

What is the status of John Cena now? Here is all you need to know about the WWE icon and where he stands in the pro wrestling world. 

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Did John Cena retire from WWE?

Though no longer a full-time wrestler, Cena is not officially retired from wrestling.

While he doesn't have the same schedule as when he was in his prime in the late 2000s, Cena still occasionally wrestles. His last match was at WrestleMania 39, when he lost against WWE United States Champion Austin Theory. 

Regarding how long he plans to continue competing, Cena was honest when speaking with Chris Hardwick on the ID10T podcast. 

"Returning to WWE, it's a brand new world. A new cast of characters, new direction with the company, new platforms, new environment. There is a challenge there," Cena said via Fightful. "To challenge myself as a 44-year-old to go back, there is an intrinsic challenge there, a set of circumstances. That's a good challenge in many ways. My body could tell me after this extended stay, 'dude, you're done,' or it could tell me, 'You're so far from done it's crazy.' That's another interesting conversation with myself. If physically, I'm slower, I've said openly to everyone that I will keep doing this until I feel I'm offending the customer. I will continually go out there and do what I can to contribute and add. I don't want to go out there and be like, 'Okay, just let him go out there and (do his thing).' I'm not into that because I know what it's like to pay for a ticket.

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“If I were to get that on this go-round, it's a humbling and tough thing that I will have to hurdle. If I get the opposite and it's like, 'You're quicker and can do some things better and define a new personality,' then that's a new conversation because I do not have much time left, and if I want to give it like, 'let's really commit to this thing and really go all in,' that's an honest choice where other stuff will have to take a backseat.”

John Cena next match: WWE schedule in 2023

Cena has competed in one match in 2023, losing to WWE United States Champion Austin Theory at WrestleMania 39. He was an influence on Theory's career. Booked as "The Then" vs. "The Now" in WWE, Theory pinned Cena to open the first night of WrestleMania.

Beyond WWE's marquee event, it's unknown whether Cena will appear again this year.

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Who will John Cena wrestle next in WWE?

As of now, Cena has no scheduled matches for WWE. The Sporting News will provide additional information if there are updates to Cena's status. 

How many WWE titles has John Cena won?

Here is a complete breakdown of every WWE title that Cena has won over the course of his Hall of Fame career.