“The First Time After the Last Time?” — Cody Rhodes Sparks Shock John Cena Return Buzz After Emotional WWE Retirement
Cody Rhodes may have just reignited the John Cena conversation in a way no one saw coming. WWE fans are still processing the emotional goodbye to John Cena, whose legendary in-ring career came to an end at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13. Cena’s final match saw him face GUNTHER, who earned the honor by winning a brutal 16-man tournament to become Cena’s last opponent.
The atmosphere inside Washington, D.C. was electric as fans prepared to salute the man who embodied “Never Give Up” for over two decades. But the celebration quickly turned to shock when Cena quietly tapped out to GUNTHER’s sleeper hold. The ending didn’t sit well with the crowd, who let Triple H hear it loud and clear with furious “You f***ed up!” chants as he led the locker room out for Cena’s farewell.
Despite the controversy, the respect was undeniable. WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk both entered the ring, handing Cena their championship titles for one final, iconic pose. As Cena exited and the show faded to black, cameras caught a deeply emotional moment—Cody Rhodes lingering alone at ringside, clearly taking in the weight of what just happened.
And now, that moment may mean more than we thought.
Cody Rhodes Teases What’s Next for John Cena
After the event, Cody took to social media and sent the WWE Universe into speculation mode. He posted an image of John Cena’s shoes and sweatbands—left behind in the ring after his retirement—along with a cryptic message:
“The first time after the last time. Stay tuned…”
Those seven words were enough to set the internet on fire.
With Rhodes hosting his own podcast titled “What Do You Wanna Talk About?”, many fans believe the tease is pointing toward a massive first post-retirement appearance by Cena—this time behind a microphone instead of inside the ring.
Is Cody hinting that John Cena’s very first stop after retirement will be an intimate, no-holds-barred conversation about his career, his final match, and what comes next?
Whatever Cody Rhodes is teasing, one thing is clear: John Cena may be done wrestling—but his story with WWE might not be over just yet.
