Sports
John Cena’s Final Words as a WWE Superstar Before Retirement
After tapping out to Gunther in the final match of his in-ring career at Saturday Night’s Main Event, John Cena‘s parting words to WWE fans around the world have gone viral.
Saturday’s contest was the culmination of a 36-date retirement tour for the 17-time world champion. While it was widely expected that John would lose his final match, fans clearly weren’t prepared for the 48-year-old to submit for the first time in more than 20 years, and they made their anger towards Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque clear as ‘The Game’ made his way to ringside after the match.
Cena tried to plead with fans to blame him for the loss, but his pleas fell on deaf ears as fans inside Washington DC’s Capital One Arena let their frustration loose on WWE’s Chief Content Officer.
Levesque tried to explain the decision to have Cena tap during his appearance on the post-event panel as he stated:
“John has said the right thing his entire career that it is about leaving this place better than you found it. I think that there’s no way for people to understand that in the moment, but you do what is right for business, you do what is right for this industry. John has done that his entire career.”
The crowd weren’t happy, but eventually they settled down to watch a tribute video in honour of Cena on the big screen, featuring appearances from many notable figures, including former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.
Before he departed the ring for the final time, Cena left his trademark towel and sneakers in the centre of the squared circle in order to signify the end of his time as an active Superstar.
John Cena’s Final Words as a WWE Superstar
With names such as CM Punk and Cody Rhodes still at ringside, John made his way back down the aisle for the very last time. In his final act before exiting the arena, though, Cena bowed, saluted the camera and spoke directly to fans watching the show at home as he told viewers:
“It’s been a pleasure serving you all these years. Thank you!”
Although retirements rarely last in professional wrestling, Cena has insisted that Saturday’s match will mark the last time that fans see him compete in the ring. John did confirm earlier this week that he had signed a new five-year deal with the company, but this will be for an ambassadorial role only.
While Cena is set to still be involved in WWE projects, his time in front of the camera where he is able to speak to the audience is likely to be very limited and the future Hall of Famer took full advantage of his opportunity to tell his supporters just how much they meant to him.
