Fans can get ‘intimate’ John Cena experience for $25k as eye-watering figures on WWE storyline emerge
John Cena’s retirement tour in WWE is well and truly underway. The wrestling legend turned Hollywood actor announced last summer his intention to hang up his boots in 2025 after a stellar career in the ring. John Cena’s career is moving in a new direction for its final few monthsGetty After establishing himself as a full-time performer and one of WWE’s biggest stars, he transitioned into Hollywood while maintaining an ad-hoc wresting schedule. Now, as, his in-ring days are finally edging to a complete close, Cena is adamant he’ll be done and dusted once his 2025 schedule is concluded. It was confirmed well in advance that the star would feature throughout the calendar year rather than just clocking off at WrestleMania but, even so, fans had been made to wait for the climactic run to get going. In fact, Cena had rarely been seen either side of February’s Royal Rumble and, when he added himself into the Elimination Chamber after the multi-man match, there was little to suggest the magnitude of what would come next. At the Chamber, the ‘farewell’ kicked into high gear, his stunning heel turn – becoming a villain for the first time in decades – shocking fans around the world as he aligned with The Rock to turn on company favourite Cody Rhodes. After a further absence, he appeared on Raw this week to deliver a blistering in-ring promo, attacking even his most loyal of fans before being confronted by Rhodes. The two will meet at WrestleMania for Rhodes’ WWE Championship as Cena aims for an historic 17th world title reign, and it’s safe to say ‘Mania season’ is very much up and running. A glance at WWE’s social media figures suggest as much. Across the company’s various digital platforms, the videos from Cena’s bitter address had amassed more than 102 million views overall. Further back, the video of his attack on Rhodes in Canda has 7.2m YouTube views in its own right. WWE aren’t just filling their boots online. There’s an all-new brand of John Cena merchandise for his ‘farewell tour’, with a bespoke shirt made for his appearance in Brussels this week and others to follow for dates in Glasgow and across the States. Cena’s ‘heel’ work has proved a major hit on social media so farGetty Ahead of WrestleMania, held this year in Vegas, WWE have upped the ante on its experience offerings, with Cena at the heart of it. PWInsider has reported that, for the staggering price of $25,000, fans can dine with Cena in the lead up to the mammoth two-night event. WWE have teamed with experience specialists On Location to offer a ‘special intimate John Cena lunch’ on Saturday, 19th April – the date of the first night of WrestleMania. This, if nothing else, confirms the long-held belief Cena’s match will take place on, and close, night two. The event is limited to 20 fans only, and takes place at a ‘five-star restaurant’ on the Vegas strip, the exercise netting a cool total of $500,000. Typically, many wrestling fans took the event and its price tag as the opportunity to crack a joke, one saying: “Paying $25k to have dinner with someone I can’t seven see is crazy.” Another added: “Didn’t he just break up with us? And he wants to call us toxic…but the answer is, yes, John we’ll take you back.” John Cena is extending a – presumably – warm welcome to 20 lucky guests for WrestleMania lunchWWE Cena will battle Rhodes for the top male gold in WWE at WrestleManiaGetty A third, more curious as to how Cena would handle the commitment given his on-screen character, added: “I’m more interested in how Cena will be. Will he not talk, give those who pay a dirty look the entire time saying we’re pathetic for paying this much and roast the entire time, or actually be not in kayfabe [character] and nice?” Another echoed that, adding: “Him being in character the whole time would be absolutely hilarious.” Just which version of Cena – himself worth $80m – shows up to eat at WrestleMania isn’t yet clear, but what’s undeniable is that, at the lunch table or in the ring, WWE is big business.
John Cena’s retirement tour in WWE is well and truly underway.
The wrestling legend turned Hollywood actor announced last summer his intention to hang up his boots in 2025 after a stellar career in the ring.
After establishing himself as a full-time performer and one of WWE’s biggest stars, he transitioned into Hollywood while maintaining an ad-hoc wresting schedule.
Now, as, his in-ring days are finally edging to a complete close, Cena is adamant he’ll be done and dusted once his 2025 schedule is concluded.
It was confirmed well in advance that the star would feature throughout the calendar year rather than just clocking off at WrestleMania but, even so, fans had been made to wait for the climactic run to get going.
In fact, Cena had rarely been seen either side of February’s Royal Rumble and, when he added himself into the Elimination Chamber after the multi-man match, there was little to suggest the magnitude of what would come next.
At the Chamber, the ‘farewell’ kicked into high gear, his stunning heel turn – becoming a villain for the first time in decades – shocking fans around the world as he aligned with The Rock to turn on company favourite Cody Rhodes.
After a further absence, he appeared on Raw this week to deliver a blistering in-ring promo, attacking even his most loyal of fans before being confronted by Rhodes.
The two will meet at WrestleMania for Rhodes’ WWE Championship as Cena aims for an historic 17th world title reign, and it’s safe to say ‘Mania season’ is very much up and running.
A glance at WWE’s social media figures suggest as much. Across the company’s various digital platforms, the videos from Cena’s bitter address had amassed more than 102 million views overall.
Further back, the video of his attack on Rhodes in Canda has 7.2m YouTube views in its own right.
WWE aren’t just filling their boots online. There’s an all-new brand of John Cena merchandise for his ‘farewell tour’, with a bespoke shirt made for his appearance in Brussels this week and others to follow for dates in Glasgow and across the States.
Ahead of WrestleMania, held this year in Vegas, WWE have upped the ante on its experience offerings, with Cena at the heart of it.
PWInsider has reported that, for the staggering price of $25,000, fans can dine with Cena in the lead up to the mammoth two-night event.
WWE have teamed with experience specialists On Location to offer a ‘special intimate John Cena lunch’ on Saturday, 19th April – the date of the first night of WrestleMania. This, if nothing else, confirms the long-held belief Cena’s match will take place on, and close, night two.
The event is limited to 20 fans only, and takes place at a ‘five-star restaurant’ on the Vegas strip, the exercise netting a cool total of $500,000.
Typically, many wrestling fans took the event and its price tag as the opportunity to crack a joke, one saying: “Paying $25k to have dinner with someone I can’t seven see is crazy.”
Another added: “Didn’t he just break up with us? And he wants to call us toxic…but the answer is, yes, John we’ll take you back.”
A third, more curious as to how Cena would handle the commitment given his on-screen character, added: “I’m more interested in how Cena will be. Will he not talk, give those who pay a dirty look the entire time saying we’re pathetic for paying this much and roast the entire time, or actually be not in kayfabe [character] and nice?”
Another echoed that, adding: “Him being in character the whole time would be absolutely hilarious.”
Just which version of Cena – himself worth $80m – shows up to eat at WrestleMania isn’t yet clear, but what’s undeniable is that, at the lunch table or in the ring, WWE is big business.
