John Cena is one of the biggest names in professional wrestling history. He first rose to fame in the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) in the early 2000s, where he gained popularity for his charismatic personality and wrestling skills. At the height of his WWE career, Cena was the face of the company and one of its most prominent and decorated stars.
However, in recent years, Cena has expanded beyond just wrestling into acting and other entertainment roles. This has led many fans to wonder – does John Cena still wrestle competitively today? Or has he moved on completely from his wrestling origins?
In this article, we’ll take a look at John Cena’s prolific wrestling career, his transition into acting and other roles, and whether or not he still laces up his wrestling boots today. We’ll examine his recent relationship with the WWE, his last official match, and how often he still makes wrestling-related appearances.
John Cena’s Wrestling Career
John Cena began his wrestling career in 1999, first appearing as a bodybuilder in Ultimate Pro Wrestling, an independent wrestling promotion in California. He soon made the jump to Ohio Valley Wrestling, then a developmental territory for the WWE.
Cena debuted on WWE television in 2002, answering an open challenge on SmackDown by Kurt Angle. Although he ultimately lost the match, it marked the beginnings of his WWE career.
Over the next several years, Cena adopted a rapper persona as “The Doctor of Thuganomics” and rose through the ranks. He won his first WWE Championship in 2005, defeating John Bradshaw Layfield at WrestleMania 21.
Cena’s Popularity and Accomplishments
From 2005 to 2007, Cena gained immense popularity as the public face of WWE. He turned face from his earlier heel persona, becoming known for his motto “Hustle, Loyalty, Respect” and for granting wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Cena feuded with many of the top stars of the era, including Edge, Triple H, Shawn Michaels and Randy Orton. He won numerous championships, solidifying himself as WWE’s franchise player.
Some key accomplishments of John Cena’s WWE career include:
– 16 world title reigns (13 as WWE Champion, 2 as World Heavyweight Champion, 1 as WWE Universal Champion)
– 5 US Championship reigns
– 4 Tag Team Championship reigns
– Money in the Bank winner (2012)
– 3 times Wrestler of the Year (2006, 2007, 2013) by publications like Wrestling Observer Newsletter
– 2 times Royal Rumble winner (2008, 2013)
– Headlined multiple WrestleManias (XXIV, XXVII, XXVIII, 29, XXXVI)
Injuries and Hiatus
John Cena wrestling a grueling physically demanding style took a toll on his body over the years. He suffered various muscle tears, fractures and other injuries that forced him to take periodic breaks from wrestling.
Some significant injuries for Cena include:
– Torn pectoral muscle in October 2007, causing him to be out for over 4 months
– Neck injury from inverted vertical suplex in August 2008, out 1 month
– Knee cartilage tear in 2009 requiring surgery
– Back injury from being thrown down stairs by Wade Barrett in 2010
– Elbow surgery for bone chips in 2012, out 1 month
– Tricep tear in 2013 requiring 4 months recovery
These mounting injuries led to Cena taking more sporadic hiatuses from 2013-2015 to rest and recover. He transitioned towards a part-time schedule, after having been a fixture on WWE programming for over a decade.
Transition to Acting
As Cena reduced his wrestling commitments in the early 2010s, he began expanding into acting and media roles. His first significant film part was in the 2006 movie *The Marine*.
Although his early acting efforts met mixed reviews, Cena steadily improved and took on more prominent Hollywood roles over time. Some notable movies he has starred in include:
– *12 Rounds* (2009)
– *Legendary* (2010)
– *Trainwreck* (2015)
– *Sisters* (2015)
– *Daddy’s Home* films (2015, 2017)
– *The Wall* (2017)
– *Blockers* (2018)
– *Bumblebee* (2018)
– *The Suicide Squad* (2021)
In 2018, Cena was cast in the comedy series *Peacemaker* on HBO Max. He starred in the titular role of the first season in 2022, which was well-received by critics and fans. This has marked his most successful regular TV role to date.
Recent WWE Appearances
Despite his acting pursuits, John Cena has never fully relinquished wrestling. He has continued to make sporadic appearances and matches for WWE over the last decade.
Major Matches Since 2013
Since transitioning to a part-time schedule around 2013, Cena has wrestled in the following major WWE matches:
| Year | Match | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Defeated Bray Wyatt | WrestleMania XXX |
| 2015 | Defeated Rusev for US Title | WrestleMania 31 |
| 2017 | Defeated The Miz for IC Title | Raw |
| 2017 | Defeated Roman Reigns | No Mercy |
| 2021 | Defeated “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt | WrestleMania 37 |
As shown, Cena has continued to participate in major WrestleMania matches and other key WWE events like No Mercy 2017. He often returns for a brief program to boost fan interest, then goes back on hiatus.
Most Recent Match in 2022
John Cena’s most recent match was on the June 27, 2022 episode of Raw, which marked the 20th anniversary of his WWE debut.
Cena teamed with Kevin Owens to defeat Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. This nostalgia-filled tag match excited fans who were happy to see Cena back in a WWE ring once again.
Prior to this, Cena’s last singles match was against “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 37 in April 2021. So he still seems capable of performing competitively on big stages like WrestleMania when called upon.
Occasional Appearances
In addition to his matches, Cena continues to make occasional WWE appearances like:
– Showing up on Raw or SmackDown to confront a wrestler
– Cutting promos at events like WrestleMania or SummerSlam
– Being interviewed about WWE storylines
– Acting as guest referee for matches
So while not wrestling frequently, he remains loosely integrated into WWE programming. Fans hold out hope for Cena to return for another match or program someday.
Relationship with WWE
John Cena likely maintains a strong relationship with WWE management – especially Vince McMahon – given his status as a longtime star for the company.
He has indicated that WWE will always be his home, whenever he wishes to come back:
“I will always be able to come back. I know that, and I admire that and appreciate that. Wherever I can find time to come back I will always have a place in the WWE.” (ESPN, 2018)
Cena has also acted as an ambassador for WWE at times. In 2021, he helped promote their return to live touring following pandemic shutdowns.
When available, he willingly participates in WWE charity events and Make-A-Wish Foundation campaigns as well. So he remains supportive of the company despite his acting success.
Conclusion
In summary, while John Cena is now a successful actor and media personality, he has not completely retired from WWE wrestling.
Cena continues to compete in occasional matches at major pay-per-views like WrestleMania. He also makes guest appearances on WWE programming to boost ratings or interact with the roster.
His full-time wrestling schedule ended around 2013 as injuries mounted and his acting career took off. But Cena maintains a strong connection with WWE and is still capable of performing for nostalgic fans when called upon.
So while wrestling is no longer his top priority, the 16-time world champion clearly still has some gas left in the tank if he elects to lace up his sneakers again. Don’t be surprised to see John Cena deliver an Attitude Adjustment out of nowhere sometime in the future!
