The time has come for a GOAT to retire.
No, not in basketball, football, baseball or hockey, but in professional wrestling. A sports entertainer. A hero. A true great human being. John Cena.
People can say professional wrestling is fake, scripted or staged. But what John Cena has meant across multiple countries and generations goes far beyond wins and losses. He embodies what GOAT truly means: the Greatest of All Time.
In the world of professional wrestling, Cena’s résumé speaks for itself. He is a 17-time world champion, the most in WWE history. He has headlined WrestleMania multiple times, won the Royal Rumble, Money in the Bank and Elimination Chamber, and completed the rare Grand Slam Championship. More importantly, he became one of the biggest draws the business has ever seen. There is little debate that John Cena is the greatest superstar WWE has ever produced.
In 2024, Cena announced that 2025 would be his retirement run. The news was devastating for fans who grew up watching him rise from a brash rookie to the face of a global company. For many, Cena wasn’t just a wrestler — he was a constant presence throughout childhood and adulthood.
Throughout his final year, Cena committed to 36 appearances across the United States and internationally. Despite a packed schedule filled with acting roles and business ventures, he gave his full heart and soul to his farewell tour, showing fans the same dedication that defined his entire career.
Cena’s legacy, however, extends far beyond championships. His three words—Hustle, loyalty and respect—became more than a catchphrase. They became guiding principles for fans of all ages, offering lessons that reached well beyond the ring. In a world often lacking positive role models, Cena stood as someone who consistently preached and practiced integrity.
Another mantra defined him just as strongly: Never Give Up. That message resonated deeply with fans, including myself. During some of my darkest moments, Cena’s words served as motivation to keep going, to believe that there was more ahead, even when things felt impossible.
No one embodied that mantra more powerfully than the children Cena met through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Over his career, he granted more than 650 wishes — more than any celebrity in history. He didn’t have to make the time. He didn’t have to show up again and again. But he did.
Through those moments, Cena gave sick and struggling children something far greater than a meet-and-greet: hope. He showed them what it means to fight, to believe and to never give up.
John Cena competed in his final match on Dec. 13 in Washington, D.C., against Gunther. He fought like his life was in danger. He unfortunately tapped out and gave up.
John Cena is a man of the business; however, he lost in a business way. Every legend goes out in a loss in professional wrestling. This describes the character and the human that John Cena is. A man of the people. He always stays true to his character and always respects and is loyal to the decisions.
As John Cena steps away from the ring, his legacy remains unshakable.
Championships fade, storylines end, but the lives he impacted and the lessons he taught will last forever. That is what truly makes a GOAT.