Cena, who has been a prominent figure in WWE since his debut in 2000, took a moment to express his gratitude to the fans. “Thank you for letting me play in the house that you built for so many years,” he said.
The 47-year-old, who is a 16-time WWE world champion, made the announcement to a mixed reception from the audience, who expressed their discontent with boos.
At a press conference following the event, Cena elaborated on his decision. “WWE is filled with stories. It’s constantly a program of stories ending and new stories beginning,” he said. “I’ve never been too concerned with the word ‘legacy,’ and I don’t want you to mix messages here: It doesn’t mean I shortchange any second on the canvas. I wish I could do it infinitely. Now I want to just try to do something special for a globe of people I owe everything to.”
