25 Things You Didn't Know About John Cena
17. Lifting At His Gym Prompted WWE Retirement
On 'Stephanie's Places', John discussed the community atmosphere he's worked to cultivate at his own private gym. Various WWE stars such as Bray Wyatt, Big E and others have visited over the years, and they've all logged workout numbers on the wall. Famously, New Day man E still holds the record for bench press and some other exercises. He's immortalised on the leaderboard.
Pushing his own personal bests to the limit has always been something Cena has enjoyed, but he told Steph that he started to notice how much he'd been struggling to match his weightlifting numbers from before. That was a humbling moment, and it made the WWE icon question his mortality as well as just how long he could keep going as a pro wrestler.
Yep, even a part time pro wrestler.
According to Cena on the ESPN show, toiling in the gym made him realise that it was time to call it a day in-ring. Privately, without telling a soul, he made peace with the idea that he wouldn't be 'John Cena: WWE Superstar' for too much longer. Age was catching up with him. Is it just a number? Sure, but it can be a telling one physically. Nobody can workout in their 40s like they could in their 20s. That's just a fact of life.
Cena and WWE subsequently announced that he'd be embarking on a year long retirement tour throughout 2025. That tour witnessed countless ups and downs, but it was a decision John himself knew he had to reconcile before moving on with the rest of his life. He can't be the same beast he was in the gym, but he can be the best version of himself as he closes in on 50.