John Cena will be back in WWE for his final Royal Rumble match early next and will be winning it – at least according to some fans.
The veteran performer and one of the most decorated wrestlers in the history of the industry has already announced he’ll be retiring next year.
After gradually winding down his in-ring career over the last few years, Cena has been wrestling only occasionally – and just once in 2024 so far.
The writing may have been on the wall for some time, but the star finally made it official at Money in the Bank back in the summer, saying: “I officially announce my retirement from the WWE.
“I have been doing this a while, I’ve been in WWE for over two decades. And in that time, I’ve seen incredible waves of prosperity like we’ve got right now… WWE is the hottest ticket in town, no doubt.”
Fans thinking that the master of the Attitude Adjustment would go for a one-and-done retirement cameo in favour of letting the current WWE crop carry on without him were later given assurances that the grappler wants to say goodbye properly.
He added the ‘retirement tour’ would be a lengthy one, saying: “It’s not gonna end at WrestleMania.
“[The next] WrestleMania will be my last WrestleMania but, hopefully, if everything goes according to plan, we’re going straight through from January to December.
“We’re gonna try to go a long list of dates. I think right now, tentatively, it’s hovering in the mid-30s to 40s…”
WWE audiences already know Cena is slated at the very least for Mania and the Elimination Chamber, the latter confirmed when the company dropped a new promotional poster for the show this week, carrying Cena’s face and declaring it was his ‘last time ever’ in Toronto, the host city.
The Hollywood sensation had been confirmed for what will be his final Royal Rumble earlier this month, too, but fans are adamant that his fate for the show is sealed – he’ll be participating in the men’s Rumble bout itself.
That’s all down to a typically cryptic post that dropped on Cena’s Instagram account during Thursday – a picture of a grinning Hacksaw Jim Duggan.
Fans quickly and correctly spotted it as being from the first ever Royal Rumble pay-per-view held by WWE back in 1988.
The Rumble match itself, then a 20-man affair, was won by Duggan after he outlasted the likes of Jake Roberts, Harley Race, The Ultimate Warrior and Bret Hart.
The image was enough for fans to put two and two together and effectively declare Cena as the 2025 men’s Rumble match winner despite still being more than two months away.
“John Cena to win the 2025 Royal Confirmed,” insisted one reply, another adding: with a heart emoji: “Cena is winning the rumble.”
A third went on to say: “…Cena winning the rumble. It’s official I’m going!”
WWE’s 2025 Royal Rumble takes place at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Saturday February 1, 2025.
It’s likely to be the company’s first Premium Live Event to air on Netflix – the streaming giant has taken the US broadcast rights for Raw from January, but will air all WWE programming and events in the UK.