John Cena is one of Hollywood’s most entertaining actors, with films like Vacation Friends and 12 Rounds to his name. However, the actor is also well known for his former rap and wrestling careers. He has more than 10 world championships to his name after he made his WWE main roster debut in 2002.

And while the legend has continued to entertain fans with new comedy and action movies, he made the difficult decision to retire from in-ring competition in December 2025. Looking back, Cena opened up about making the decision for his fans.

During John Cena's conversation with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the legend was asked about his decision to retire. The actor and former rapper revealed that he misses his time in WWE. While there were no serious health concerns, Cena shared that he was getting slower in his movements and was unsure how much longer he could continue to show his best performances.

“I'm 49. I'm slower. My vertical jump was down. My overall strength was down,” he said.

He further added, “And at that point, gosh, people are paying a lot for tickets and I'm robbing them of that investment.”

He further explained on the podcast that it took him much longer than usual to prepare for a bout, while the recovery period had also become lengthy. He added that he still had it in him to show up and give his best performance, but his body was getting slow, which ultimately pushed him to make the tough decision to retire. While he may not appear in the ring for a fight, Cena signed a five-year deal with WWE to serve as its ambassador, allowing him to remain involved in the wrestling world.

"Douchey, Bro-y Captain America" - John Cena on How James Gunn Shattered His Full Metal Jacket-Esque Idea of 'Peacemaker'

Even after his retirement, his love for WWE has remained as strong as it was early in his career. Cena also recalled that it was hard to focus on filmmaking in the early 2000s after being part of the fast-paced world of WWE.

John Cena has always been candid when talking about his life and career. He was honest when admitting that he did not care much about filmmaking early in his career, which almost led him to miss his chance to build an acting career. Cena shared that he had a tough time adjusting to the slower pace of filmmaking. 

“Those early projects — truth be told — I didn’t have my heart into,” he said.

“As a young 20-something, God, traveling the world, being out in front of tens of thousands of people every night going nuts and then doing it night after night, that’s where I wanted to be, and that’s where I felt comfortable and fluent,” he further added.

However, he expressed gratitude for getting a second chance at acting. And the actor admitted that he now appreciates his work, including the promotional activities for his films. His love and passion for filmmaking are evident in some of the hit films he has appeared in over the last few years.

John Cena Left Conflicted After His WrestleMania Card Smashes Record With $329,400 Sale

What do you think about John Cena's decision? Let us know in the comments.