Vince Russo suggests when wrestlers should retire after John Cena’s heartbreaking statement (Exclusive)

John Cena is one of the most popular wrestlers of all time. The 17-time WWE World Champion has been with the promotion since 2002, spending over two decades with the company. Money in the Bank 2024 will always be remembered for one of the most heartbreaking moments in the promotion's history, as it was at that event where John Cena announced his retirement tour.

The unseen 17 is set to retire from in-ring competition at the end of the year, bringing an end to a record-breaking career. One of the most decorated wrestlers in the company's history, John Cena, will forever be remembered by the fans as the face that ran the place.

Meanwhile, former WWE writer Vince Russo was talking on Sportskeeda Wrestling's BroDown when he addressed John Cena's retirement. He listed the perfect age for a wrestler to retire, stating that they should retire in their mid-40s if they want to go out on top.

"I would say if they really wanted to go out on top, where they could still go and not be embarrassed, I would say 45. Some guys can really still go till 45. I think when you start letting it go to like 48, you know, I think that's when you could tell a noticeable difference, but guys can still go up to 45. I mean, 48 may be fair, but when a guy like Cena is saying, 'At 48 my body's [done],' that's telling you right there," Russo said. [From 41:33 onwards]

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WWE currently has quite a few wrestlers in their mid-40s, some of whom might hang up their boots pretty soon. WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio has stated on multiple occasions that he's close to retiring, while AJ Styles has also mentioned that he would retire before turning 50, which he would in 2027.

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About the author

Faiz is a WWE writer at Sportskeeda Wrestling. He is a BBA graduate who is passionate about sports and wants to make a career in that field. This passion led to a postgraduate degree in Journalism, which helped him pivot into becoming a sports writer. When writing, he puts the utmost importance on accuracy and thorough research.

Faiz has six years of work experience across four companies. He started his career with Zomato and then moved to Amazon. He shifted to becoming a football writer at TV9 Digital and is now with Sportskeeda. He covered the Wrestling Xtreme Mania event in Gurgaon in 2025, where he had the opportunity to interview Raj The Maharaja, fka Jinder Mahal. At the same event, he also got quick interviews with former WWE Superstar Dijak and Japanese Joshi legend Emi Sakura.

When it comes to his favourite wrestlers, Faiz has two names in mind. He loved to watch Triple H before the current WWE CCO retired, and he is a huge fan of Roman Reigns. Being a loyal fan since the Tribal Chief's SHIELD days, Faiz credits Roman's mic skills and unmatched in-ring storytelling for his mega success. When he was young, one in-ring story left a lasting impression on his mind and eventually got him hooked on WWE. That match was Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair at WrestleMania 24. Apart from that, he is also a fan of RAW.

When Faiz is not writing for Sportskeeda, he loves to keep up with other sports. He is an avid cricket and football fan, a huge gamer, and loves playing some RPGs on the PlayStation.

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Edited by Sanchari Bhattacharya