The Legacy of John Cena: An Emotional Farewell to WWE

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John Cena’s career in WWE has come to an end after the superstar announced his retirement, bringing the curtain down on an epic run in the wrestling industry. It is not just the retirement of one of the world’s greatest pro wrestlers, but the conclusion of the career of a man who has become iconic and whose wrestling journey captured the hearts of thousands of fans around the world. In this article, we take a look at Cena’s glittering career, his defining moments, and his legacy in the wrestling fraternity.

Early Life and Wrestling Beginnings

John Cena was born on 23 April 1977 in West Newbury, Massachusetts. Cena began his athletic journey at a young age through sports such as football and weightlifting, which were both integral parts of the high school experience. This would later serve as a solid foundation for him as a wrestler. In 1999, while at Springfield College, Cena chose to attend Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW) school, where he achieved great success. It didn’t take long for Cena to become well-known for his built body and entertaining personality.

Cena’s early days in UPW, as ‘The Prototype’, featured a futuristic, semi-robotic character that showcased his creativity and flexibility, giving him an exacting edge that helped him stand out among other up-and-coming wrestlers, earning him a developmental contract with the then World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) in 2001. His time in WWF’s developmental, OVW, further hinted at his potential as a future star, and in time, his hard work paid off with an eventual swell in his mainstream following.

Rise to Fame in WWE

John Cena’s first televised match for the WWE occurred on 27 June 2002, responding to Kurt Angle’s open challenge for an opponent during an episode of SmackDown, before even signing a contract. Cena’s catchphrase ‘Ruthless Aggression’ and his promos of that PG-13 nature, along with his standout performance against the Olympic Gold Medalist, helped him become an instant fan favourite. This is how Cena’s Rocketeer-like rise to the top began, embodying everything WWE’s new senior vice-president of talent, creativity, and live events, Triple H, looked for in a performer.

Cena also became a full-fledged dancehall-popping ‘Doctor of Thuganomics’ whose rhymes hit like a sucker-punch for the WWE audience, and a lot more like these other rappers than those who predominantly appeared on WrestleMania cards. It was Cena’s edgy promos and rap battles that helped to set him apart from other wrestlers. In 2005, Cena finally defeated JBL to win his first WWE Championship, an achievement he had craved since joining WWE. His win capped off a spectacular rise that saw the wrestling world’s most over groomed talent becoming the most over – or perhaps the most popular – in WWE’s main event scene for the next decade.

Iconic Matches and Rivalries

For most of his career, John Cena was a part of many of the greatest matches and rivalries WWE has ever seen. In one feud all by itself, his rivalry with Edge (which began in 2006) is one of the greatest arch rivalries in WWE history, with tremendous matchups such as the TLC match at Unforgiven 2006, at which Cena regained the world heavyweight championship from Edge.

His other great rivalry – with Randy Orton – began in 2004 and continued with lots of classic matches into the early 2020s. Virtually everybody who was a top-of-the-card champion wrestled extensive matches with Cena, and put on great shows every time out, especially in the big moments. Cena made many wrestling fans care about the storylines he was in, and many of those he stood across the ring from built legendary reputations thanks to feuds with him – further solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest WWE Superstars of all time.

Impact Outside the Ring

His presence has spread far beyond the squared circle, too, as Cena is a noted philanthropist; most notably, he leads the US chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses, of which Cena is the all-time wish granter, having granted more than 600 wishes to date. As such, he seems continually seeking to use his fame and scheduling as a vehicle for doing some good. That Cena has endeared himself to the public, wrestling promotions, Fox executive thugs and his coworkers is testament to his all-around good guy nature.

In addition to his philanthropic endeavours, Cena has enjoyed box office success with the movies Trainwreck (2015), Blockers (2018) and the Fast and Furious franchise. His broad crossover appeal represents far more than a bloody and brilliant mic drop. His victory is built on compelling charisma, a wide appeal, and endless self-belief that have propelled his debut on the wrestling mat to global superstardom in Hollywood.

The Retirement Announcement and Its Aftermath

On Monday, 8 July 2024, John Cena officially retired from WWE with a heartfelt announcement in an emotional segment on Monday Night Raw. He thanked the audience for supporting him, made kind gestures towards his colleagues and family and commemorated the highs and lows of his wrestling career. ‘I will always be grateful for all of it,’ he told the crowd.

In the days since Cena’s retirement announcement, there have been numerous tributes from fellow wrestlers, fans and celebrities. Much of these have appeared on social media, flooded with remembrances of Cena’s legacy and how WWE changed for the better because of his presence. WWE has also planned an epitaph in the type of tribute memoriam that famously mourned the passing of Monday Nitro, complete with a compilation of Cena’s career highlights and return visits from his most well-known enemies and friends.

The Legacy of John Cena

It is for these reasons, his exceptional work ethic, charisma, appreciation of the business, championships won, WrestleMania headlining, records set, and respect earned that his legacy in WWE is rightfully shaped. He blazed the trail for a newer generation of wrestlers to follow as role models and inspirations.

It would be an understatement when I say Cena thru some things for the community during and especially after his career, and has had some successful endeavors in the entertainment industry. Retiring as the face that will never go away, Cena surely will make a lasting legacy for fans for many years to come. Although he may not be seen in the ring anymore, Cena showed there’s more to his life than just seeing where he and his man bun can get on any particular show. He will forever be remembered as one of the greatest WWE Superstars ever to step foot inside the squared circle… not terribly far off from him stepping out of it, actually.

Conclusion:

John Cena’s retirement has birthed a legacy, attesting that his career was more about the ride than the destination. His enduring influence on American wrestling runs from early pathos to greatness and everything in between. Nearly two decades after stepping inside a WWE ring for the first time, the ‘Face of WWE’ hangs up his boots, secure in the knowledge that he brought about cultural change that still resonates. Generations of wrestlers and fans to come will continue to celebrate Cena’s unprecedented run and relive its greatest moments. From bone where joints are – it’s a hell of a ride.

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