John Cena has revealed that his final year in WWE was defined by a desire to take creative risks and even “fail” in order to leave a lasting impact. The wrestling legend discussed his mindset during his farewell tour, including his controversial behavior at Elimination Chamber earlier in the year.
Speaking on What Do You Want To Talk About?, Cena explained that he wanted to show younger talent the importance of being brave and taking big swings, even if they result in polarizing feedback.
“I am on my way out. This would be the easy way to do it,” Cena said. “I want you to know that I am making brave, courageous decisions that will have polarizing and critical feedback, and I am still trying to fail. I am desperately trying to fail on my way out the door.”
Cena specifically addressed the Elimination Chamber event in February, where he leaned into a darker heel persona. He noted that the business decision was to create a “moment” given the high viewership, and he accepted the challenge creatively.
“In February, they just wanted to make a moment, and they asked me to be part of it. Holy hell. What a challenge to me creatively,” Cena recalled. “So the loss of that good side at all costs to get that was easy to explain… I’ll do whatever the f**k you guys want. Just stay on the face for longer than you think.”
He described the arc of his final year as a “chronicle of the cycle of life,” moving from denial and bargaining to acceptance.
“The whole tour, the year story for me, is just the cycle of someone facing the end of their life,” Cena said. “I got a raw deal. I want this one more time… And then realizing, like, Oh, I’ve kind of been a prick and gone against my values.”
John Cena officially retired from in-ring competition following Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13, 2025. WWE’s next major stop is the Royal Rumble on January 31, 2026.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit What Do You Want To Talk About? with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.Â
