John Cena, renowned for his illustrious career spanning more than 20 years in the wrestling business, has teased the pursuit of his 17th WWE Championship. While Cena’s legacy comprises numerous memorable moments and prestigious titles, his achievement of being a 16-time world champion remains a topic of discussion among the WWE Universe, a record he shares with The Nature Boy Ric Flair.
Despite transitioning to a flourishing career in Hollywood, Cena hasn’t been a full-time competitor in WWE since 2016. However, in 2023, he appeared in four televised matches, the highest in a single year since 2018. His most recent match resulted in a loss to The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa at WWE Crown Jewel in November last year.
With fans clamoring for Cena to break Ric Flair’s record, he has recently teased about going after the WWE Championship. In a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet, Cena was asked about his favorite world title reigning among his 16 victories. Cena responded, “My next one [is my favorite.] I have often said that the time is coming for me to hang them up and I’m not lying when I say, but it’s not tomorrow. It’s probably soon but not tomorrow, so you never know.”
As Cena approaches 50 years of age, fans wonder if he will indeed pursue his 17th WWE World Championship before winding down his wrestling career.
A look back at John Cena’s WWE championship legacy
John Cena stands alone on the mountain of WWE Champions, having held a record-breaking 16 WWE Championship reigns. His journey began in 2005 at WrestleMania 21, where he defeated JBL to ignite a decade of dominance. He battled legends like Triple H, Randy Orton, and The Rock, cementing himself as the face of the company for over a decade.
On his 16th title win comeback in 2017 at the WWE Royal Rumble premium live event, he defeated AJ Styles in one of the most exciting in-ring performances of his career to win the championship. Though now a part-timer, Cena’s championship legacy continues to inspire the fans.