Should John Cena Consider Retirement from WWE?
By Josh.0
With roles in three Hollywood films, pressure to start a family and successful appearances on morning and late-night television, is it finally time for John Cena to hang up his jorts?
On the Dec. 28th edition of RAW, JBL was only half-joking when he remarked, “the celebrity bug has gotten to [Cena] a little bit” in response to John Cena’s Return to the WWE since losing the United States Title to Alberto Del Rio at Hell in a Cell in October 2015.
Could we see less and less of John Cena in 2016? The smart money says yes and many older fans are likely overjoyed.
More wwe: WrestleMania 32 Card Projections 7.0
More from John Cena
- WWE SmackDown Predictions: John Cena Will Summon Great Khali
- John Cena’s return to WWE SmackDown must include LA Knight
- Top five ladder matches of all time
- Four opponents for John Cena to face at SummerSlam
- Retro Review: WWE SummerSlam 2013
Cena has been the public face of the WWE since 2005 and has been in the pro wrestling business since 2002. In 2015, he was subjected to countless “Cena sucks” chants despite being involved in one of the best gimmicks in recent memory with his U.S. Title Open Challenge. His feud with Kevin Owens not only produced three of the best matches of the year but also established Owens as the Heel-in-Waiting who is poised to take a larger role until Seth Rollins returns.
Despite all of Cena’s success over the years, Father Time is undefeated and 13 years must feel like 130 years when your job requires you to take bumps, falls, chair shots and cheap shots day in and day out with no offseason.
If nothing else, John Cena is incredibly self-aware of his place in the world of sports entertainment. He knows that while he is the top draw for the WWE, has granted the most wishes in Make-A-Wish Foundation history, and is the most popular superstar amongst younger fans he also recognizes that he isn’t getting any younger. If he wants to capitalize on his Zoolander-esque really, really, ridiculously good looking image and translate his in-ring success to box office gold the change needs to happen sooner rather than later.
Live Feed
Bam Smack Pow
When The Rock hosted Saturday Night Live in 2000 and then took time off to film The Mummy Returns in 2001 it was clear that his wrestling career was approaching its zenith. For the next few years, Rocky took short sabbaticals from wrestling in order to focus on his film career and then would occasionally return for short feuds because his star power was such that his appearance guaranteed ratings.
John Cena could mirror this departure by taking more and more time off and thus allow some younger superstars to take the top spots. I don’t believe we have seen his last title run and I would go so far as to predict that Cena will break Ric Flair’s record of 16 world championship wins in 2016 before he decides to leave for Hollywood.
Related Story: Why John Cena Shouldn't Win the Royal Rumble
Regardless of the exact time, Cena’s retirement from the active roster is inevitable. He will not be the next Undertaker, a man so comfortable with his senior role In the company that he rides it for decades until his bones are little more than pixie sticks held together with screws and pins. Cena wants to take advantage of his box office success and that time is almost here. He has been one of the hardest working men in the WWE and his exit will most certainly come on his own terms, regardless of how many “Cena sucks” chants we throw his way.