Triple H Reveals Reason Behind John Cena's Retirement
It wasn't that long ago that WWE was tarping off the upper decks to weekly shows because fans didn't want to invest in the terrible product. Vince McMahon got complacent, and that was apparent across programming.
As the leader of creative, Triple H has ushered in a different era that is more focused on coherent long-term storytelling that doesn't routinely insult the audience's intelligence. His reign hasn't been perfect, but his vision and transparency have been refreshing. Triple H's latest booking masterclass has centered around John Cena, and he's opened up about the timing around the stellar retirement tour.
John Cena
WWE / Contributor
During a recent interview with the BBC, Triple H revealed Cena's final run stems from his realization that "physically I can't do this anymore." Triple H explained, "What's the biggest way we can do that? To explore avenues we haven't gone down. So, 20 years later - John, who's the ultimate good guy and always does the right thing - becomes a bad guy."
Cena's work rate has decreased dramatically in recent years, and he has struggled to find the form he possessed in the mid-2010s. He's struggled to find magic with young talent like Austin Theory and has mostly been in various multi-man matches. His last above-average singles bout was against Roman Reigns in 2021.
It's evident that years of carrying the company have physically caught up to Cena. The 47-year-old's attitude toward giving it his all one final time before hanging up is admirable. I have no doubt he can have a few more stellar showings in the squared circle, and his impending showdown with Cody Rhodes will be box office.
