John Cena's Final RAW: 5 Key Moments from His Emotional MSG Send-Off After 23 Years

On November 17, 2025, John Cena made his last appearance as an active competitor on Monday Night RAW at Madison Square Garden, ending an era for the WWE. Before preparing for his final defense of the Intercontinental Championship, the 17-time world champion defeated legendary partners in a six-person tag match at the “World’s Most Famous Arena” in an emotional farewell. As Cena nears complete retirement from in-ring competition next month, this farewell episode emphasized his enduring influence.

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Cena’s Legacy and MSG’s Significance

Madison Square Garden, which formerly housed the World Wide Wrestling Federation’s historic headquarters, has long been revered as a wrestling venue. Over the course of his 23-year WWE career, John Cena’s career reached numerous milestones thanks to this venue. Cena, who is 48 years old, has won multiple Royal Rumble titles, five United States Championships, four Tag Team Championships, and the most world championship reigns in history (17). Throughout 2025, he has been on a retirement tour called “The Last Time Is Now,” with each appearance gradually closing a chapter on his in-ring career.

Main Event: A Fitting Final RAW Performance

In his final Monday night bout, Cena faced Dominik Mysterio, Finn Bálor, and JD McDonagh from The Judgment Day in a six-person tag match alongside Rey Mysterio and Sheamus. In an act of pure entertainment, Cena was able to share the ring with longtime coworkers during the competition. Throughout the match, the three performed each other’s signature moves, such as “The 15-Knuckle Shuffle,” “30 Beats of the Bodhran,” and a “double 619” from Mysterio, according to commentator Joe Tessitore.

One ESPN analyst called the match “sheer joy” for the competitors, and Cena was clearly grinning the entire time. The cooperative effort created a joyous atmosphere that emphasized Cena’s career-long dedication to entertainment, even though some fans might have preferred a significant singles match for his RAW finale. Throughout the evening, the sold-out MSG crowd greeted Cena with persistent “Thank You Cena!” chants, demonstrating that they understood the emotional significance.

Road to Survivor Series: Championship Rematch Confirmed

Additionally, the episode confirmed that Cena will defend his title on November 29 at Survivor Series: WarGames. After defeating Dominik Mysterio in a spontaneous Intercontinental Championship match in Boston on November 10, Cena will now rematch Mysterio for the title. The defense at Petco Park in San Diego is especially important because it is Mysterio’s hometown, setting the stage for what might be Cena’s last high-profile live event.

This reservation is in line with Cena’s well-established practice of promoting up-and-coming artists during his farewell tour. “Cena, in the past, has also put over young superstars to elevate them,” according to sports website Sportskeeda, implying that a possible title loss to Dominik Mysterio could give the 28-year-old a significant career boost.

Broader Impact: Reshaping WWE Storylines

WWE programming has been affected by Cena’s retirement proceedings. The Survivor Series: WarGames Intercontinental Championship match on November 29 and his final match at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13 at Washington, D.C.’s Capital One Arena are his two upcoming final appearances.

Major WWE storyline developments, such as the return of Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar to face off at the MSG event and set up their involvement in a WarGames match, coincide with his departure. Dolph Ziggler and AJ Lee also made unexpected comebacks in the episode, highlighting how Cena’s farewell acts as a trigger for more significant changes in the WWE storyline.

Expert View: Assessing the Farewell Tour

The intentionality of Cena’s retirement schedule has been observed by analysts. The Hollywood Reporter noted that “Cena is going out on top,” even though he has been able to continue his acting and wrestling careers concurrently for the past ten years. According to an Esquire analysis, the incremental closure enables a proper appreciation of Cena’s final appearances, even though some fans may find some aspects of the farewell tour “disappointing” in comparison to imagined storybook endings.

Although there was some initial backlash against his RAW finale’s six-person tag match, it ultimately demonstrated “the sheer joy this match brought to the participants,” according to ESPN. Cena’s return to “babyface” status after a short summer heel run has given his career a more conventional ending, emphasizing joyous occasions rather than drastic changes from his well-known persona.

Conclusion

John Cena’s final Madison Square Garden appearance provided both emotional closure and forward momentum toward his ultimate retirement next month. While his in-ring career will conclude after two remaining matches, his influence continues to shape WWE programming through elevated opponents and reshaped storylines. As Cena’s time as an active competitor dwindles, the sports entertainment world continues to appreciate the final performances of a legend who carried WWE for over two decades.