Editor’s note: This is an opinion-based column and reflects the views of the author and not the website.
The professional wrestling industry will soon lose two legendary performers in the coming months with John Cena in December and Hiroshi Tanahashi in January.
In their wake, they leave an excess of contributions that have changed the wrestling industry wholesale. Some of these moments in wrestling history were for good, some for the worse. Yet, the memory of what they have done and what they have sacrificed in the ring remains evident for all to see.
Whether itâ€s by age or the sheer amount of toil they have subjected their bodies to, both men have earned the right to go out with finales befitting of their legacies.
Since Cena and Tanahashi announced their impending retirements, a lot has transpired. Itâ€s undoubtedly going to be bittersweet moments, seeing them hang up the boots, joining their 2020s contemporaries like Jushin Thunder Liger, Sting, Goldberg, and Bryan Danielson (who, to be fair, retired from full-time competition in 2024). The experience of seeing them perform has an expiration date and there may be no more chances like these. Then again, this is pro wrestling, and retirements tend not to stick.
Nevertheless, thereâ€s an air of finality. Tanahashi and Cena have ample reason to walk away for good as the “Ace” also serves as the president of New Japan Pro Wrestling while the Cenation leader is a star in Hollywood, television, and even Honda commercials. They know their time is now, that they canâ€t move like they used to before, and therefore must leave the squared circle to newer and fresher talent.
As someone whoâ€s observed both men in their final active years in the business, the occasion feels just right to analyze both menâ€s ultimate runs.
John Cena
The Face who Runs the Place. The Champ. Mr. Money in the Bank. John Cenaâ€s career was spent mostly as WWEâ€s main protagonist—their ultimate babyface. Whether his understanding of the early 2000s hip-hop zeitgeist, his Marine era, Super Cena, or the open challenges, fans will decidedly recognize these periods of his career.
When he announced his retirement at 2024’s Money in the Bank, Cena maintained his limited appearances. His presence was soon to ramp up at this year’s Royal Rumble, however. Lasting 30 minutes as the penultimate talent in the titular bout, Cena stared in shock after being eliminated in a shocking win by Jey Uso.
Hoping to venture another way for a title bout at WrestleMania 41, Cena self-admittedly politicked his way to Elimination Chamber, stating that it was “best for business.” Locking in his patented SFT on CM Punk, Cena got his wish as he rendered the Voice of the Voiceless unconscious.
The veteran then made even more headlines as he turned heel by attacking undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, aligning with The Rock and Travis Scott. Betraying everything he stood for, Cena sold his soul to his former nemesis and current TKO board member. Oh, the potential this had…
For the first time since his Doctor of Thuganomics days, Cena was the bad guy. He insulted children and berated audiences for their treatment of him for almost two decades, wholly believable in his airing of grievances. Resentful pain reverberated in his voice with dispassionate eyes glancing at the legions who once worshipped him.
Cenaâ€s entrances featured slow strides to the ring, his towel held behind his head, and a bland Titantron video. Little changed in his trademark appearance, but his body language was bitter and vitriolic.
Eventually, this schtick grew old fast, retreading old ground, over and over. The matches themselves were less than satisfying, to boot. Once Cena dethroned Rhodes for the title at WrestleMania in a meandering bout, the magic dissipated. Still, it wasnâ€t all for nothing. Setting a personal record for 17 World championship wins, Cenaâ€s WrestleMania win marked a huge milestone in his final year.
He went on to defend it against Randy Orton at Backlash in an equally unsatisfying match, and teamed with Logan Paul against Rhodes and Uso during Money in the Bank which did nothing for anyone involved.
Meanwhile, R-Truth took to social media, reporting his release from the company after losing to Cena at the May 24 Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event. Fan outrage grew so intense that WWE inevitably acquiesced to their wishes as he returned in June to face Cena again, this time as Ron Killings. Having endeared himself to fans as the comedic act, Truthâ€s return came to much fanfare and eventually disappated.
In June, Cena reignited his feud with Punk at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia, a place many thought they would never see the Chicagoan wrestle. Though Cenaâ€s homage to the famous “pipe bomb” promo was entertaining, the match itself was a poor follow-up to their 2011 Money in the Bank bout which both men were beloved for. There was no depth in this match; just an overbooked finish and the squashing of the reputation of Punkâ€s disdain for Saudi Arabia and “blood money.”
By then, the reaction to Cenaâ€s heel run had soured for fans. He somehow became just another guy, albeit one fans still filled arenas with cacophonous applause once his music blared through arenas. Sensing that Cenaâ€s relationship to The Rock and Travis Scott wasnâ€t as present as it was at Elimination Chamber, fans moved on.
Dwayne Johnson claimed that The Rock didnâ€t follow up on that appearance because he felt that is all WWE would need for him. As for Scott, people within the company remarked that he viewed the medium as a hobby, not something serious.
Ahead of SummerSlam, Cena turned babyface, citing the lack of involvement as a reason to see things clearly. (Well, that and Cody Rhodesâ€s violent confrontation the week prior.) During the SummerSlam main event, Cena played fair, ultimately dropping the belt back to Rhodes in a positively received street fight — a great finish to a rough storyline.
Unfortunately, the post-match angle soured this experience for some and alienated others from the product. Despite being named in the Janel Grant vs. Vince McMahon & WWE lawsuit as a participant in the sex trafficking of Grant, Brock Lesnar made his return to the company. Moreover, his reappearance focusing on Cena wouldnâ€t be followed up on until a month later, following Cenaâ€s brief rivalry with Logan Paul.Â
Attacking Cena during an open challenge for the United States title against Sami Zayn, Lesnar set the ultimate destination: Wrestlepalooza. They wrestled for less than ten minutes in a poor resurrection of their 2014rivalry. Despite him being a draw during this period, Lesnarâ€s presence means far less than it did before, and WWEâ€s insistence on keeping him in the fold can only be successfully challenged once he stops getting the reactions and the ticket sales for his product. Even after the match, there was a less-than-lukewarm reception with little to no attending fans standing up.
WWE accidentally made a good choice following this: a reunion match that people actually asked for. The company returned to Perth, Australia, in October. Featured on the card was Cena reigniting his rivalry with AJ Styles, also soon to retire. Little build was created for this match, basing everything solely on their star power and history in the ring. Their match catered to fan service, focusing on both menâ€s strengths while hearkening back to both menâ€s past rivals such as Edge, Bray Wyatt, Christopher Daniels, and Samoa Joe. A little heavy-handed, but understandable, when considering that this was a celebration of two amazing careers.
The colloquial agreement of the only truly satisfying moments of Cenaâ€s retirement tour being during his babyface run canâ€t be ignored. The Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber matches built nicely to his heel turn. Once that ran its poorly executed course, Cenaâ€s matches with Rhodes at SummerSlam, Zaynâ€s U.S. title open challenge on SmackDown, and the Crown Jewel spectacle with Styles.
In a year where WWE has made a myriad of odd, sometimes infuriating, or laughable decisions that have miserably affected public relations, one wonders why a substantial portion of his last year was spent twiddling fingers and baby-brained booking.
In all fairness, nonetheless, Cenaâ€s botched heel turn was mostly out of their control. Johnson stepped aside from everything post-Elimination Chamber with some positing this was due either to extracurricular commitments or creative rifts with Paul Levesque. Though Scott assisted Cena at WrestleMania 41, he didnâ€t appear afterward whatsoever. The people who initiated the heel turn were completely absent, hence his subsequent face turn.
But WWE isnâ€t without blame—while everyone expected Cena to run it back with Orton, Punk, and Truth, the product wouldâ€ve also benefited from Cena building up younger stars outside of matches like the Rumble or the Chamber — something meaningful that fans could sink their teeth into. The time with current top stars is already terminal; best to build the future before disinterests steamrolls the product.
Additionally, this storyline hampered Rhodes and Truthâ€s momentum. Rhodes looked like a chump after hesitating to strike Cena with his belt at the WrestleMania match when he cratered Styles†skull with steel steps the year prior. Fortunately, the SummerSlam street fight reinvigorated both Rhodes and Cena. But for Truth, the Ron Killings character was seemingly dropped as Cena turned babyface. Certainly, it didnâ€t help that the Aleister Black feud floated aimlessly and that Killings kept spouting that he was “driving now†as frequently and relentlessly as the ongoing ICE commercials. Killings†character change and motivations were made pointless and the lack of television time didnâ€t help matters.
A part of me wonders that, if WWE had gone with The Rockâ€s idea of having Rhodes turn heel and Cena be the angleâ€s babyface, things would have been different. After all, Rhodes’ undisputed WWE Championship had begun to lose steam around this period after the enthralling Kevin Owens feud. Plus, Cena had finally won everyoneâ€s respect and people grew up seeing him as a hero—let him go out as one.
Regardless, Cenaâ€s face turn cemented that better care would be taken to end his career, and Iâ€m all the more glad for it. Every moment since his babyface turn has seen a glimmer in his eye—a twinkle of appreciation for the talent and audiences that gave him the life he has now. Thereâ€s an unmistakable gratitude in his smile, despite that this is now a small part of his life now.
And heâ€s filled the remainder of his time giving back. Understandable, since this is the only time he can do so, after all, his last time is now.
Hiroshi Tanahashi
The “Ace” has had a monumental career since stepping onto NJPWâ€s cerulean mat in 1999. A historic one, even as early as his victories over the likes of Kensuke Sasaki, Negro Casas, and Scott Hall. Little did anyone know in the early 2000s that Tana would be recognized as the savior of New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Dubbed one of the New Three Musketeers in company with Shinsuke Nakamura and Katsuyori Shibata, he had a lot to live up to. Considering that the original Musketeers were Keiji Mutoh (The Great Muta), Shinya Hashimoto and Masahiro Chono, the pressure was on.
Credited later in the 2000s and 2010s for saving the company from Inoki-ism, Tanahashiâ€s performances combined Western wrestling influences such as lucha libre and American heavyweight as well as mat-based wrestling. This flew in the face of the MMA style then-NJPW promoter Antonio Inoki preferred. Inokiâ€s vision proved unpopular, especially with Tanahashi. Having gone on an excursion to Mexicoâ€s CMLL promotion alongside fellow young NJPW talent, Shinsuke Nakamura, in 2005, Tana challenged Inoki-ism upon his return with the exciting Westernized wrestling style, resulting in Japanese crowds yearning for more.Â
With the company nearly in the throes of bankruptcy, Yukeâ€s Co. Ltd.â€s purchase and Tanahashiâ€s dynamic wrestling capabilities, the process began anew with NJPW being rebuilt to fit what Tanahashi brought to the product. As such, Tanahashi became the face of NJPW, holding some impressive records as the IWGP Heavyweight Champion.Â
He didnâ€t stop there—following Kazuchika Okadaâ€s suboptimal excursion to Impact Wrestling, Tanahashiâ€s eventual matches with Okada not only shaped the latterâ€s image, but the vision of NJPW as a whole. Thanks to a prolonged competition between the two, spanning years, NJPW met a boom period, stamped with their rivalry alongside Okadaâ€s parallel series of matches with Kenny Omega and the dominance of stables like Suzuki-Gun, Los Ingobernables de Japon, and most notably, Bullet Club.
Fast-forward to October 14, 2024. Tanahashi stands victorious over the House of Torture alongside teammates Shota Umino and El Phantasmo. He declares that the “finish line was in sight†and that January 4, 2026’s Wrestle Kingdom would host his final match as an active wrestler.Â
In singles competition, Tanahashiâ€s 2025 started with a lumberjack match victory over EVIL at Wrestle Kingdom 19 and a five-minute time limit draw against fellow Musketeer and current AEW World Trios Champion Katsuyori Shibata at Wrestle Dynasty. New Beginning in Osaka saw Tanahashi defeat Togi Makabe in a way that compellingly told a story despite both men being at a slower, advanced age. The Ace then passed the torch to then-IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Hirooki Goto.
Younger stars were on Tanahashiâ€s plate as he lost to Shota Umino at Sakura Genesis in an intense bout. AEWâ€s Konosuke Takeshita would then be Tanahashiâ€s final match in the United States, defeating the veteran in Chicago. An emotional, yet brutal faceoff between Tanahashi and IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion Gabe Kidd kept the latterâ€s momentum going after his Wrestle Dynasty match against Kenny Omega. The president finally gained a singles victory against a younger competitor, this time in the form of Yuya Uemura at Juneâ€s Dominion.Â
Competing in the grueling G1 Climax, Tanahashi gained four total wins with a victory over Yota Tsuji becoming his 100th G1 win. EVIL would gain revenge for his Wrestle Kingdom loss during the tournament, however, defeating Tanahashi on the A-Blockâ€s final night, leaving Tanahashi at eight points. Heâ€d then defeat Master Wato and Great-O-Khan at Battle Line Hokkaido and Destruction in Kobe, respectively.Â
At King of Pro-Wrestling, Tanahashi reached a time limit draw against recent ally El Phantasmo, leaving both men looking strong. In his hometown of Gifu, Tanahashi faced the young Yota Tsuji, the IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion, who avenged his previous two losses in his career to the Ace in an emotional struggle that ended in a Gene Blaster.
Tanahashi has been an emotional thrill ride in 2025. Grappling with the future of the company, his contemporaries, and stars of the past, heâ€s done so much. Considering his knees are poor and heâ€s no longer able to be the same hero who pulled NJPW from the crumbling debris of collapse, what heâ€s accomplished this year is impressive. Heâ€s truly given his all. Rather than going on as a husk and parody of his former self, he put over talent while still standing tall over others who are already seasoned.
As NJPW President, Tana could have easily, easily put himself at the forefront, become champion, and go on a reign of terror until dropping it to someone, possibly in a dirty finish. He could have, but he didnâ€t. Maintaining credibility as a wily veteran who wonâ€t go down so easily, he gave bragging rights to opponents who could carry the company in his absence.
This isnâ€t to say that Tana has been slogging about, going along with the paces without taking risks. At AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door, he joined Will Ospreay, Darby Allin, and the Golden Lovers (Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi) to defeat the Death Riders. Joking about his age and softened bones while offering the expected Tanahashi flair, he gave Western fans one more glimpse before returning home to Japan.
Tanahashi has committed to the deadline of his final bow on January 4. Whether heâ€s sobbing at the commentary desk or in the ring, his tears flow for how much heâ€s invested in this business. The Young Lion from the early 2000s has grown older, yet has bite enough in him still.
Iâ€ve connected deeply to this version of Tana in the past year, and I hope he finds peace and solace in his twilight, no matter who faces him. Thereâ€s a tenderness to him now, inhaling the knowledge that even in retirement, heâ€ll continue to exhale into pro wrestling and NJPW to keep it a perpetual machine in motion.
The Verdict
This article could have been briefly summarized to “Yeah, Hiroshi Tanahashiâ€s retirement run has been better than John Cenaâ€s.†And, I donâ€t have anything to detract from that. Itâ€s true, absolutely so. Cenaâ€s direction was misled by creative ranging from fantastic to extremely poor, whereas Tanahashi has hardly had a misstep. Even his loss to EVIL in the G1 Climax paved the way for Tsuji in the A block.
Itâ€s a funny coincidence these two chose now to end their careers at this juncture. Tanahashi and Cena have long been compared as the faces of their companies. In the 2010s, it was common to see fans clamor for a dream match between the two or debate about which one was better. Waxing poetic, Tana and Cena are Eastern and Western reflections of the other in a way. In a perfect world, that dream match would have happened.
The year of their curtain calls will inevitably be compared by most. The execution in the final matches, as well as the 365-day build to get there, will be analyzed and dissected with the industry posturing how a successful retirement tour should look with such monumental talent in the limelight.
The bulk of Cenaâ€s run defined him as a bitter heel that quickly pivoted to WWEâ€s bright and beaming mascot. Itâ€s 2025 and his heel turn came far too late. It would have fit about 10-15 years ago when heat toward him was at a fever pitch. Admittedly, hype overtook me, the notion of Cena showing a mean streak. But the past several months solidified that the grizzled veteran remaining steadfast as a protagonist was as true as true gets.Â
People are more fond of when he began building new stars and showcasing a myriad of wrestling styles beyond the scope heâ€d displayed at the time or when he had grit. The bloody war with JBL, the parking lot brawl with Eddie Guerrero, and the battle of the best with Shawn Michaels. The Superman/Batman feud with CM Punk, the ace versus ace series with AJ Styles, and the elevation of younger stars in his United States title open challenge series.
His championship reign may have added a notch to his list of accolades, but his time afterward has added much-needed weight. There were several missteps, such as the Johnson and Scott situation, in addition to the issues already emblematic of the product in 2025. This will likely be addressed if and when the company faces declining social media interactions, ticket and merchandise sales, and a lack of reactions from attending fans. For the departure of a legend such as Cena, itâ€s a shame this came at the expense of the tail end of his historic career.
Tanahashi, erstwhile, remained the person audiences knew him as. The dynamic babyface, who would put on heroic performances. He dipped in comedy, sold the seriousness, and let his emotions bleed over. He was authentically himself; no need to deviate. Furthermore, he earned accomplishments, including his 100th G1 victory, winning a single belt. Being the president he is, Tana totally could have done this. But he didnâ€t. He let others take the spotlight while he took a different approach. These matches, the ones that counted, told a story of a man clawing his way in desperation, only to fall short due to advanced age.Â
The pair is at a point where they have separate images, yet are the same wrestlers people have rooted for for so long. John Cena stands almost like a superhero, WWEâ€s Superman, Captain America, All-Mighty, what have you. His Last Time is Now tournament, culminating at December 13â€s Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event features him as the prize. The bragging right to say one has faced this icon before his time was up—even better if they beat him.
Tanahashi, on the other hand, wrestled like a dying animal knowing its last breath was coming, and rather than going into that cold night, he charges forward, fighting that last fight until thereâ€s nothing more to give.Â
Every moment, every second theyâ€re wrestling is time that is running out; the last grains of sand are trickling to the mound at the bottom of the hourglass. How will it end? In time, this may be the ultimate decider.
Professional wrestling is a unique art form in that fans grow and age with the competitors they see. The blending of fiction and reality in that sense enhances the investment. I was a boy when I saw Cena wrestle in jorts in stadiums from a CRT TV. I was a young adult seeing Tana compete against Styles on the cerulean mat while using a laptop. I didnâ€t know where life would take me, and Iâ€m sure the same could be said for them; I imagine life is unpredictable as a pro wrestler. I, among those of you reading, get to follow up with this in the more limited times these men lace up their boots only to leave them in the center of the ring.
I apologize for closing this as I talk personally, but with wrestling being significant in my life, I canâ€t help but feel an overwhelming mix of emotions. This is a full circle moment with Cena retiring on my birthday and Tana stepping back as I start my sixth year in wrestling media.
Iâ€d love for both men to have the swan song they deserve. We have our own ideas about how weâ€d like things to end. Cena could face a younger opponent to make them a star, or could reignite one last rivalry. We do know that Tanahashi’s final match will come against someone previously mentioned: his longtime rival Okada, putting to an end to the rumored one last match against current WWE wrestler Nakamura.
Whatever happens, it ends with two legends riding off into the sunset. Decades of work, highs and lows, punctuated with their names forevermore entombed in the annals of professional wrestlingâ€s history books.
Savor it while you can because their last time is now.
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Corey Michaels
Corey Michaels covers the play-by-play action of events hosted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Referenced by content creators and Wikipedia articles, he adds his prosaic voice with authority to the F4W/WON audience.
A content writer and wrestling fan, Corey has woven the stories of our great sport into literature. He cuts to the emotional core of characters, rivalries, and angles.
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