Backstage News Coming Out Of John Cena’s WWE Retirement Match At Saturday Night’s Main Event

John Cena’s final WWE match wasn’t just treated as a major event inside the ring.

It became a full-scale gathering of past, present, and pop culture surrounding the company.

Several notable WWE veterans were seated ringside for Saturday Night’s Main Event, including Michelle McCool, Mark Henry, Eve Torres, Sami Zayn, Trish Stratus, Kurt Angle, and Rob Van Dam. The crowd also featured a few high-profile names from outside the wrestling world, with actor Jon Bernthal and music artist Metro Boomin in attendance.

In addition to the ringside presence, the show itself saw the return of several iconic WWE personalities. Jesse “The Body” Ventura, Michelle McCool, and Eve Torres all made appearances, creating a rare moment where talent from multiple eras were represented on the same night.

Not everyone connected to Cena’s history was in the building, however.

Vince McMahon was notably absent from the event, although he appeared briefly via archival footage in a video package, while Stephanie McMahon was in attendance. Donald Trump, despite his long-standing ties to WWE and Cena, was also not present for the retirement match.

Behind the scenes, the company has already begun making official updates following Cena’s exit.

WWE has moved John Cena to the alumni section of its official website, formally closing the chapter on his in-ring career.

The significance of the night was echoed during the post-show coverage, where Paul “Triple H” Levesque described Saturday as the beginning of a “new era” in WWE following the retirement of its longtime standard-bearer.

One final tribute arrived after the cameras stopped rolling.

Artist Abdulmalik (@97Abdulmalik) released a striking “Thank You Cena” retirement tribute artwork on social media following the show, honoring Cena’s legacy. The artwork can be viewed below.

For those who missed the show, fear not, you can check out our complete WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event Results 12/13/25 here at WrestlingHeadlines.com.