As John Cena prepares to officially retire this weekend at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event after a year-long farewell tour, the final year of his in-ring career has seen a dramatic range in the quality of his matches. Let’s look at his final matches in 2025 and rank them from best to worst.
16. Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena (WrestlePalooza)
This match at Wrestlepalooza was a creative head-scratcher and a huge disappointment for fans, receiving the lowest rating on the tour. Cena himself admitted he took the lopsided loss to re-establish Lesnar as a dominant “mountain” for a future star to conquer in his home state of Minnesota, but it still felt like a poor use of Cena’s farewell star power.
15. Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena (WrestleMania)
Coming just one day after Cena won a record-breaking 17th World Championship against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41, this match felt rushed and narratively meaningless. The low rating reflects the audience’s frustration that a disposable encounter immediately followed the historic WrestleMania moment.
14. Cody Rhodes & John Cena vs. Drew McIntyre & Logan Paul
This August tag team match was a bizarre collision of forces that struggled to gain critical traction. It served mostly to elevate the newly formed heel pairing of McIntyre and Paul, leaving Cena and Rhodes as star-studded supporting players rather than the focal point.
13. John Cena vs. R-Truth (Saturday Night’s Main Event)
A pure nostalgia and comedy spot against one of Cena’s long-time friends, R-Truth. While it didn’t set the world on fire in terms of wrestling quality, it was a fun “house show special” designed for fan enjoyment rather than critical acclaim.
12. Cody Rhodes & Jey Uso vs. John Cena & Logan Paul (MITB)
This match, which occurred earlier in the summer, featured an intriguing but creatively lukewarm mix of star power. It felt like a necessary filler to set the stage for the more significant singles rivalries that would dominate the second half of the year, preventing it from reaching the next level of acclaim.
11. Dominik Mysterio vs. John Cena (Survivor Series)
Cena’s final Premium Live Event match at Survivor Series: WarGames was a major letdown for fans, resulting in him losing the Intercontinental Championship to Dominik Mysterio. The finish, marred by a controversial interference from a returning Liv Morgan, overshadowed Cena’s final PLE performance and left fans feeling disappointed that he didn’t retain the title.
10. Men’s Royal Rumble Match
Cena’s participation in the 30-man match at the beginning of the year was a guaranteed spectacle. Despite the massive cast of stars, including CM Punk and Roman Reigns, the match itself was viewed as chaotic and simply “fine,” failing to deliver the memorable moments expected from a major Royal Rumble event.
9. John Cena vs. Randy Orton (Backlash)
This match was the final chapter in the careers of two long-time rivals. While technically sound, the match struggled to generate genuine excitement due to the sheer number of times the pair have faced off, resulting in an average rating that suggests the audience felt the rivalry had run its course.
8. CM Punk vs. John Cena (Night of Champions)
A solid encounter at Night of Champions that added another chapter to one of the most iconic rivalries of the modern era. The contest was quickly overshadowed by the dramatic Seth Rollins Money in the Bank cash-in on CM Punk later in the summer, which became the defining story of their renewed program.
7. Dominik Mysterio vs. John Cena
This was a highly emotional and important match on Raw where Cena achieved the one title that had eluded him, becoming a Grand Slam Champion. The high rating is a direct reflection of the long-awaited milestone, with the quality boosted by the sheer magnitude of the accomplishment.
6. Judgment Day vs. John Cena, Rey Mysterio & Sheamus
Cena’s final Raw match was a burst of enjoyable nostalgia, featuring a classic “good guys vs. bad guys” dynamic. The action was fast-paced, and the chemistry between Cena, Rey Mysterio, and Sheamus made it a highly rated piece of television.
5. John Cena vs. Logan Paul (Clash in Paris)
A surprisingly phenomenal contest at Clash in Paris. Cena gave Logan Paul the platform to prove his legitimacy, resulting in a critically strong performance that greatly bolstered Paul’s credibility as an in-ring competitor.
4. John Cena vs. Sami Zayn
A powerful showcase of Cena’s veteran ability, this match against Sami Zayn was a hard-hitting and critically intense contest. It earned one of the highest ratings of the year, demonstrating Cena’s potential to elevate opponents in fresh and compelling matchups.
3. Elimination Chamber Match
This chaotic, star-studded thriller successfully delivered on all the immense hype it advertised. The action was relentless, featuring Raw’s biggest stars, making it a spectacular contest that effectively kicked off the Road to WrestleMania with a bang.
2. Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena (SummerSlam Street Fight)
A brutal, emotional, and career-defining war where Cena cleanly “passed the torch” to Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam. Rated as a high-end classic, this contest was praised for its storytelling, giving Rhodes the definitive victory he needed. It also wrapped up their storyline.
1. AJ Styles vs. John Cena (Crown Jewel)
The highest-rated match of Cena’s farewell tour and one of the best matches of the year was this one. The final encounter in his legendary rivalry with AJ Styles at Crown Jewel was a fitting send-off, with Cena himself giving the highest praise to Styles, calling him “Best to ever do it.”
