Ric Flair Urges John Cena to Not Repeat the Same Mistake He Did After WrestleMania 24 in 2008

Ahead of John Cena's farewell match on December 13, Ric Flair hopes that fans will see the last of the 17-time World Champion in the ring.

Ric Flair Urges John Cena to Not Repeat the Same Mistake He Did After WrestleMania 24 in 2008

John Cena and Ric Flair (via WWE)

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John Cena’s retirement tour is entering its final stretch, with less than three months left until his farewell match on December 13. The journey began back in January 2025 at the Royal Rumble and has since seen Cena clash with the likes of Randy Orton, CM Punk, Sami Zayn, and Cody Rhodes. 

Along the way, the 17-time World Champion shocked fans by turning heel for the first time in his career, even defeating ‘The American Nightmare’ at WrestleMania 41 to capture championship gold. However, Cena’s heel run didn’t last long. By SummerSlam, he had turned babyface once again and delivered the only second five-star rated bout in his entire career. 

But that only resulted in a disappointing loss at Wrestlepalooza, where Brock Lesnar squashed him in under 10 minutes. Up next, Cena is set to revisit one of his greatest rivalries when he faces AJ Styles at Crown Jewel in Perth, a match designed to rekindle the magic of their classic 2016 encounters. 

That leaves fans with two burning questions: Who will be Cena’s final opponent, and could he ever wrestle again after December? While Cena has been firm about retiring for good, speculation has grown as WWE prepares to host WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia. Reports suggest Saudi officials want as many legends as possible on the card, sparking rumors that Cena might be tempted back for a one-off return in 2027.

But not everyone thinks that’s a good idea. Ric Flair, who knows all too well the pull of retirement reversals, has cautioned Cena against making a comeback. Flair’s own last WWE match came against Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24. That outing in Florida was the perfect farewell for Flair and was followed by a heartfelt tribute on Raw the next night. 

But Flair returned less than two years later for a run in TNA. Moreover, his true final bout didn’t come until July 31, 2022, when he teamed with Andrade to face Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal at age 73. Speaking to The Escapist, Flair shared his thoughts on Cena’s future and urged him not to make the same mistake he made 15 years ago. 

John is making so damn much money in the movies right now. He doesn’t need to do anything else. I hope that he’ll walk away and stay away. Wrestling is very addictive. When you’ve done it as long as John has, over 20 years, it’s hard to change your way of life. I see John periodically, but I can’t say enough nice things about John Cena. He’s a wonderful person.

Ric Flair via The Escapist

With just five dates left on his farewell tour, Cena has insisted he is hanging up the jorts for good. Whether that truly holds remains to be seen, but if Flair’s advice carries weight, Cena may be wise to end things on his own terms.

Ticket prices for John Cena’s swansong on 13th December have been revealed

WWE has officially confirmed the date and location for John Cena’s final professional wrestling match, along with the ticket prices for what promises to be a historic event. The 17-time World Champion will wrestle his retirement match on 13th December at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. 

CM Punk and John Cena
CM Punk and John Cena (via WWE)

The bout will headline a special edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event. In a press release, WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H praised Cena’s career and promised a send-off worthy of his legacy.

John’s contributions to WWE are immeasurable. There are no words that can truly relay how much he means to this business. Together with our partners at Events DC and Capital One Arena, we look forward to honoring his legacy and delivering an unforgettable send-off for both John and the WWE Universe.

Triple H via X

Tickets for Cena’s final match go on sale October 17, with prices reflecting the huge demand for this historic event. Front-row ringside seats are listed at $11,500, second-row ramp-side seats at $9,500, and fifth-row tickets in the same section at $6,500. Standard seating will range from $250 to $3,000.

Before his December farewell, Cena will continue his retirement tour with several major appearances. As already stated, his next big match takes place on October 11 at Crown Jewel in Australia, where he will face longtime rival AJ Styles. On last week’s Raw, Styles also brought a nostalgic touch by reviving his iconic “Beat Up John Cena” catchphrase from 2016.

In addition, Cena is scheduled for Raw appearances on November 10 in Boston and the following week at Madison Square Garden. He will then compete at Survivor Series on November 29 in San Diego, before finally closing the chapter on his legendary in-ring career in the nation’s capital. 

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