John Cena‘s WWE retirement tour is nearing its conclusion, marking the end of an era for the iconic performer known as The Franchise Player. Cena has confirmed he will not compete inside the ring again, making this farewell run a significant chapter in WWE history. The tour has featured both memorable highlights and notable missteps throughout its course.
Notable Issues with Cena’s Character Shift During the Tour
One of the low points of the retirement run was the attempted heel turn orchestrated by Triple H, widely regarded as one of WWE’s largest character shifts in recent memory. Cena betrayed fan-favorite Cody Rhodes and aligned himself with The Rock in a storyline intended to portray him as a villain. However, this angle failed to resonate, partly due to the involvement of Travis Scott, whose role seemed disconnected from the core narrative. This booking was reversed just days before SummerSlam 2025, as Cena was restored to his heroic babyface character, much to the relief of fans.
The reversal highlighted the poor execution of the heel turn as one of the most disappointing segments of Cena’s farewell, detracting from the emotional depth that could have been achieved during his final performances.
Historic Achievements Marking Cena’s Final Chapter
During this tour, Cena accomplished a major career milestone by securing the WWE Undisputed World Championship for the 17th time, surpassing the record previously held jointly with Ric Flair. This achievement fulfilled long-standing fan wishes and cemented Cena’s legacy as one of the greatest champions in WWE history. His record-breaking title reign stands out as arguably the best moment of both the retirement tour and the year 2025 in the pro wrestling world.
Lack of Torch-Passing Moments to Emerging Stars
Despite Cena’s prominent final run, the retirement tour lacked clear efforts to transition the spotlight to newer WWE talents. Except for Cody Rhodes’ victory over Cena at SummerSlam, there were few significant moments where Cena symbolically passed the torch. Instead, WWE primarily relied on nostalgia by reintroducing established rivals like Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton as Cena’s adversaries, limiting opportunities for younger superstars to gain momentum.
Among Cena’s opponents, Logan Paul was the only notable younger talent featured, underscoring the absence of meaningful future-building gestures. This omission is considered one of the less favorable aspects of the farewell run, as elevating new main event contenders is crucial for WWE’s ongoing success.
Brock Lesnar’s Surprise Return Enhances the Tour’s Appeal
Brock Lesnar’s unexpected comeback at SummerSlam 2025 was a standout event during Cena’s retirement tour. Lesnar, known as The Beast and a major box-office attraction, had last appeared in 2023’s SummerSlam event but was absent for a significant period before being brought back by Triple H. His return created a buzz among fans and added excitement to Cena’s final appearances, elevating the high stakes of the tour.
Controversial End to Cena’s World Title Reign
Following his reinstatement as a fan favorite, Cena delivered a standout performance against Cody Rhodes during SummerSlam 2025. Despite the critically acclaimed match, Cena lost the Undisputed WWE Championship to Rhodes, marking a premature end to his final world title reign. Fans and critics alike viewed this title change as ill-timed, especially since Rhodes soon went on hiatus due to commitments in Hollywood.
Many argue that maintaining Cena as champion through the end of his farewell tour would have strengthened his send-off and avoided unnecessary disruption. Instead, the early title loss limited the impact of Cena’s final run as the company’s leading champion and created a gap in momentum during a crucial period.
The Overall Significance of Cena’s Retirement Tour
John Cena’s retirement tour has been a blend of historic achievements, unexpected returns, and missed opportunities. While breaking the world championship record and featuring Brock Lesnar’s return provided memorable highlights, poor character development choices and a failure to elevate emerging stars remain points of criticism. Cena’s farewell has thus been both intensely emotional and somewhat unresolved, leaving fans eager to see how WWE will build its future post-Cena.
As the tour concludes, WWE faces the challenge of capitalizing on Cena’s legacy by successfully fostering new talent and creating fresh stars to carry the company forward into its next chapter.
