John Cena says he plans to step away from his work after the John Cena Classic on December 14 and return in January 2027.
Speaking with Rick Ucchino on The Takedown on SI, Cena said he makes sure to be away from professional commitments around December 15 each year.
“I am a ghost and I will resurface about January 4th or 5th. And in that time, I make sure to spend 10 days in Massachusetts with my family and 10 days in Canada with my wife’s side of the family. I’d say the past six years, that’s been my path of action. And boy, it’s really been rewarding and great,” Cena said.
Cena explained why time with family matters more to him now.
“When I was full-time with WWE, the most important thing was literally covering my tracks for being a workaholic. So, I was a big gift giver, thinking that I could kind of buy through my workaholism. And now the most important thing for me is to be with those and connect with those I love,” Cena said.
Cena retired from in-ring competition in December 2025 but has continued to appear on WWE TV. He is scheduled for SmackDown on November 13, Raw on November 16 and Survivor Series on November 28. Zilla Fatu and Cody Rhodes are the first two entrants in the John Cena Classic.
