• John Cena's wrestling career has come to an end
• Submitted in his final match against Gunther

John Cena brought his legendary professional wrestling journey to a close after more than two decades, competing in his final bout against Gunther at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

Cena, 48, was defeated after being forced to submit to a sleeper hold in a match that lasted just under 25 minutes.

The ending stunned fans inside the arena, as Cena—long known for rarely submitting throughout his career—raised the white flag for the first time.

Supporters openly showed their emotions as Cena succumbed to Gunther’s power, despite loud chants urging him to continue.

Several WWE superstars came out from the locker room to pay tribute to Cena after the match.

Cena then left his wristbands and boots in the ring, a traditional symbol of retirement, before walking up the entrance ramp and offering a final salute to the crowd.

He retires holding 17 world championships, the highest number of officially recognized title reigns in WWE history.

He also headlined WrestleMania six times and is regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers in the sport’s history.

Cena began his career in 2002 with a match against Kurt Angle and initially struggled before reinventing himself as the “Doctor of Thuganomics,” a move that propelled him to superstardom.

He later expanded beyond wrestling and successfully transitioned into Hollywood, becoming one of the few WWE stars to achieve sustained success as a film actor.

In July 2024, he announced that he would retire from in-ring competition by the end of 2025.

His farewell tour began at the Royal Rumble in January, featuring a rare character shift earlier this year.