When John Cena announced in July 2024 that 2025 would mark his final year as a professional wrestler, few could have envisioned that his final-ever WrestleMania match would look like this. Although the 16-time WWE world champion is numerous things to many people – a role model, a hero, a patriot, a legend – few would ever describe him as a villain.
By some cruel twist of fate or possibly haphazard planning, Cena will not be cheered on Sunday, as he enters Las Vegas’s Allegiant Stadium to face Cody Rhodes for the WWE championship in his 17th and final WrestleMania match. He’ll be mercilessly booed.
