John Cena wins record 17th WWE Title at WrestleMania 41
John Cena wins record 17th WWE World Championship. John Cena beat Cody Rhodes to win the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas.
The win made him the wrestler with the most world championships in WWE history.
He previously said he plans to retire in 2025.
John Cena is now officially the most decorated professional wrestler of all time!
He claimed his 17th world title on Sunday, April 20, by defeating Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas.
The record-breaking win puts Cena ahead of WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair, who held 16 world titles during his legendary wrestling career, according to WWE.
Cena's victory — in front of 63,226 fans at Allegiant Stadium, including 76-year-old Ric Flair — looks to be the crowning moment of his legendary wrestling career, which he says will end in 2025.
Now 48, Cena announced last summer that he plans to retire sometime this year. While many thought WrestleMania 41 might mark his final match, his big win on Sunday suggests the Fast & Furious star will stay in the ring a bit longer.
"I just love it," Cena told PEOPLE earlier this month, highlighting how tough it is for him to step away from wrestling and fully focus on his acting career.
Professional wrestlers usually lose their titles before retiring. But Cena, now playing a villain on-screen, has shaken things up by threatening to leave WWE with its top championship. This dramatic twist has sparked one of the most talked-about storylines WWE has had in years.
“I will win that championship and retire with it,” Cena warned last month. “I’m taking it home with me. I’m leaving all of you to create a brand new toy belt, because the real one comes home with me. I will be the last real champion in WWE.”
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Weeks later, Cena told PEOPLE that fans should expect “more unpredictability” in his wrestling storyline, revealing that his plans go “beyond WWE programming.”
Now, the big questions for WWE fans are: When will Cena retire? And what will happen with his latest WWE championship reign?
While Cena’s character has threatened to leave without looking back, the man behind the character told PEOPLE that he’ll never truly be done with wrestling, even when he hangs up his boots.
“When I can no longer compete, I will always be a part of the WWE family, whether it’s through mentorship or being an advocate and spokesperson,” Cena said. “They’ll have to shoo me away because, like you, I’m a fan first and I love it so much.”