'You Can’t See Him Anymore': John Cena retires, WWE legends and former rivals pay tribute

Cena's retirement ended an era in the history of wrestling entertainment during which he clinched 17 world titles.

In his last match that marked the end of his 24-year-old career, Cena, sadly, was defeated by his opponent, Austria's Gunther.

Marking a moment of disappointment for his fans, Cena tapped out and then left his boot on the centre of the ring, a tradition followed by retiring wrestlers.

Describing him, the official website of WWE said: "He’s a 17-time World Champion, New York Times best-selling author and record-setting Make-A-Wish granter. He’s released a hit album, starred in blockbuster movies and carried the torch for WWE since he first set foot in a WWE ring nearly two decades ago."

Away from rings and beating up his macho opponents, Cena began acting in 2006 and has done both comedy and action films, receiving praise for his roles in Trainwreck (2015), Blockers (2018), and The Suicide Squad (2021). He has also starred in films such as The Marine (2006), Bumblebee (2018), and F9 (2021), as well as portraying the title character in the superhero series Peacemaker (2022–2025).

Celebrities react

Wrestling stars Undertaker and Dwayne Johnson posted their message on social media platforms wishing Cena well in entering the new phase of his life.

Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock wrote on X: "Congratulations on your historic and extraordinary @wwe career, my triend. Have fun, tear it down, and as always, 'thank you for the house'."

Undertaker said: " It always a pleasure to share the ring with @JohnCena . Relive all the matches now ."