John Cena isnâ€t letting WWE turn his final match into a nostalgia special—because he doesnâ€t want the spotlight on himself. Instead, he wants the entire night to be about WWEâ€s future.
On the RAW Recap Show, Cena explained that he pushed back hard on the idea that Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event should be built entirely around honoring him. He said he loves the “Time Is Now†tournament because it shifts attention toward whatâ€s coming next, not whatâ€s ending.
Before he even got into the tribute topic, Cena made it clear that he never wanted his farewell to follow the usual wrestling formula.
“Iâ€m so glad about the tournament and Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event, and getting everyone to focus on the future of this business,†Cena said. “The tradition has always been, ‘Oh, your last match—you go out on your back and do the honors.†No. I think we can do more. We can take the fans who show up for our show and expose them to the future, and thatâ€s whatâ€s next. I love the Time Is Now tournament to earn the chance to be my final opponent.â€
Cena then revealed that Triple H originally pitched a full-blown John Cena tribute for the event—but Cena immediately shut it down. He called Triple H directly to explain why the idea wouldnâ€t work for anyone.
“I really want to take my hat off to Triple H. I called him up and said, ‘Iâ€ve got an idea. Weâ€ve got to do two hours for the show, and if you do a whole John Cena tribute, two things are going to happen: youâ€ll either do too much or too little, and you wonâ€t please everybody.†So I rejected that idea.â€
Instead of two hours of Cena montages and speeches, he pitched a completely different direction—showcasing the future of WWE against the best of the main roster.
“Instead, I said Iâ€d like to propose that we have big-name WWE Superstars in exhibition matches against the brightest talents in NXT. That way, we have a sold-out building, hopefully the world is watching Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event, I get to wrestle one final time, and everyone else gets a look at what they can look forward to. Yes, itâ€s my last match—but collectively, weâ€re all closing a chapter in sports entertainment.â€
Cenaâ€s refusal to make the night about himself is exactly why his legacy hits so hard. He wants his final night to push WWE forward, not look backward—and heâ€s using his retirement match to make sure the next generation gets the stage they deserve.
Do you agree with John Cena turning down a full tribute show? Who should benefit the most from his final event? Drop your thoughts and let us know how youâ€d book the night.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
November 18, 2025 7:39 am
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