WWE's John Cena Talks Potential Retirement And Future Wrestling Plans With Logan Paul
Even though he remained active in WWE throughout 2023, including wrestling Austin Theory at WrestleMania and feuding with the Bloodline in the fall, John Cena knows he's a long way away from his glory days as top star in the mid-2000s. And with Cena's acting career continuing to be on the rise as he enters his late 40s, the former 16-time World Champion also knows that his days in a wrestling ring are numbered.
Appearing on "Impaulsive" with fellow WWE star Logan Paul, Cena confronted his wrestling mortality head-on, admitting that the end was closer than the beginning. However, he's not ready to call it quits yet and is optimistic about getting back in the ring sooner than later.
"I hope so," Cena said. "I'm not officially done, but I'm close. I can feel it...especially seeing you out there doing incredible stuff. And just our talent now, the product has become so crisp and so fast and so skilled. It is a different world. And I love it, and I still feel fluent and I would like to say goodbye when I am still fluent. So it's coming. To the point where...you know that moment in the sunset when it starts to go down? 'Man, it's going down really fast.' That's kind of where I'm at. I'm not done, but I need to decide when I am."
John Cena Wants To Be Involved In Wrestling After His Retirement
Even with all his other obligations, Cena still plans on staying involved with wrestling after he takes off his boots. While admitting he would have no interest in holding an executive role in WWE, similar to his former rival Triple H, Cena does have an interest in mentoring some of the younger talent, albeit on a low-key basis.
"I think what I would love to give to the business is just my time," Cena said. "I live very close to the Performance Center, and I would like to go in as a guest. That way, I'm not obligated and they're not obligated in any way. It's stuff I do in my free time anyway. I love going in and just picking people's brains, having conversations about like 'So, who are you?' And they're like 'What? What does that have to do with anything?' 'Oh, only everything. Let's talk.'
"So I enjoy that, and doing half a day there and then going back to normal life. I don't know what I'll do. I'm fortunate enough to have some other stuff going on. So I've been focusing on that too. But...I don't know. I always want to be involved in the business. I get so passionate about it, and it's something that I love, and I think I have a few pieces of wisdom that need to be passed on, and I don't think they should die with me. So I'll try to do that the best I can."
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Impaulsive" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription