John Cena’s Final Curtain and the Casual Fan’s Appreciation of Wrestling

As John Cena’s career as a professional wrestler comes to an end, with his last match reportedly on the 13th of December 2025, it got me thinking. I really need to watch that, along with his best matches. I need to confess, I’m not a huge wrestling fan—more a casual one. I only watch a couple of matches now and again. But there are a handful of people I can remember vividly from clips and moments over the years. I wanted to highlight those who truly stood out.

Retired / Legends: Art on the Mat

Eddie Guerrero: The Perfectionist

Eddie Guerrero’s death is particularly tragic. Before his passing, he was reported to have had serious health issues.¹ Yet, he never wanted to take time off to heal and rest, fearing he would be replaced or lose his coveted spot. So, like so many others of his generation, he kept working past the pain.

It’s a sad truth that it took the WWE a while—and several young deaths, including the tragic murder committed by one of its biggest stars—before the company fully realized it had a systemic problem with performer wellness and began to address it.

He died at just 38 years old in 2005, meaning he’s been gone now for two decades, after a 19-year career. In that time, he perfected a blend of every style: technical skill, high-flying Lucha Libre, and outright brawling. More than that, he perfectly understood the psychology of the ring. He knew how to bring an infectious, unique character to life. That “Lie, Cheat, Steal” persona was just pure gold; he was impossible not to root for. The fact that other wrestlers still pay tribute to him today by copying his spots and signature moves shows just how brilliant and influential he truly was.

Sting: The Icon

Sting is a rare example of a career built on self-preservation and peer respect. You can recognize him immediately from his iconic look and outfits, a legacy that lasted an incredible 38 years, culminating in his retirement at age 65 in 2024. That longevity is a testament to the fact that he understood his limits and gave himself the necessary time to heal—a vital lesson often ignored in the industry’s past.

He even admitted to delaying surgery in 2016, which would have ended his career for good, because he wanted to address the unfinished business of a match with The Undertaker. That match we never got. How would I build it? Both men undefeated, both just staring at each other. Both using their powers to cause problems in other matches. With Vince McMahon finally saying, ‘It’s time to go one on one with The Undertaker.’ I would have done it as a Casket Match, with both men leaving the ring undefeated and The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak untouched.

This is something many wrestlers admit to doing—delaying surgery to keep working—but Sting ultimately took time off when required. Hopefully, he takes any surgery now and his body is in good shape after all that punishment.

His in-ring work, particularly in his later years, was a masterclass in in-ring psychology, showcasing the old-school approach to putting a match together. He worked with what he could do, not what would injure him more. Looking back, you can see him shifting styles a bit toward a more brawler style later on. He’s often considered the last true representative of an older wrestling style, a man who mixed that old-school approach with modern elements—somebody who did the time, worked hard, and understood the code. By that, I mean the old wrestling art of keeping kayfabe and staying in character.

Many people respect Sting, not just for his work, but for his unparalleled ability to recreate himself—the shift from the colorful “Surfer” to the silent, dark “Crow” was legendary character work that made him the undisputed face of WCW, TNA, and more. Furthermore, his success stands out because he managed to remain a top-tier star and draw for decades outside of WWE during a time when that was the hardest thing to do. His short run in WWE was, unfortunately, largely wasted, but his reputation—as a safe, talented, and respectable veteran—is everything. Nobody has any bad stories about him inside or outside the ring.

His career found a perfect conclusion in AEW, which gave him the creative freedom to end on his own terms and deliver a perfect final chapter to a storied career. Unlike the traditional expectation for veterans to solely put over new talent, AEW allowed Sting to instead cement his own, unparalleled legacy, remaining a threat nobody else could deal with. This demonstrated a real mark of respect and appreciation from AEW, a company full of wrestling fans who knew exactly how important he is. He is easily one of the Top 10 greatest wrestlers of all time, and he is, truly, an icon, earning that title for himself.

And coming from somebody who saw very few Sting matches, that should tell you everything you need to know about his impact.

The Undertaker: The Ultimate Company Man

The Undertaker started his career later than Sting did, but he still spanned an impressive 30 years in WWE. He was the ultimate WWE company man, doing whatever was asked of him no matter the cost to his body. His commitment to old-school kayfabe and longevity are parallel to Sting’s. In many ways, they are similar, both maintaining mystique and crafting unique, darker gimmicks. The Deadman gimmick is enduring and was one of Vince McMahon’s best ideas.

For his size, he was rather athletic, with great in-ring work and a ring psychology that showed how smart he was and how well he understood the business. He was the old-school wrestler appreciating how things were done.

Towards the very end, you could visibly see he struggled and was missing a step. Concussions and years of injuries were catching up with him—including a severe concussion delivered by Brock Lesnar in 2014, which ended his WrestleMania streak and sent him to the hospital in the process. Vince claimed this was done so Brock could be built up for the next WrestleMania, arguing nobody else could fill that spot, but he also believed Taker was done and had few matches left. I would have made it close but had Taker draw power from the Urn to keep the Streak going. Given his desire to get people over, it should have been somebody else or nobody at all. The late Bray Wyatt, Roman Reigns, or Sting would have been better choices. It was special, and honestly, I would have kept it going.

He was chasing that final perfect match, but catastrophic efforts like the Goldberg match in 2019 made him consider retirement. Both men suffered concussions that night, and the disastrous match is considered one of the worst of all time. It was a shame because both men were past their prime, and the system failed: the referee, Goldberg’s own head injury before and during the match, and Taker for not picking up the cues. It was a bit of a mess, and one of the reasons he finally decided it was time to retire.

In my mind, he did end on a high note with AJ Styles in 2020. I consider what they did rather special—it was pre-recorded during COVID, and considering the limits, they produced a great match. Honestly, both should be proud of that send-off. His legacy is defined by his commitment to his character and his willingness to sacrifice his physical well-being for the art.

Abyss, Kurt Angle, Stone Cold, and The Rock

These names have shorter entries below, but I still regard them as important.

• Abyss – Is similar to the above in that he dedicated himself to a distinct persona. These days he’s a producer for WWE, but his in-ring work and character was a scary, unique monster. I never saw many full matches, but the visual of him, the character, is what makes him so memorable. The thing is, he never wrestled for WWE at all. 25 years in the ring, with 17 at TNA.

• Kurt Angle – Olympic Gold Medalist, talented wrestler who had the skills and technique.² His story is a rather sad one of painkiller abuse and addiction that almost killed him. Breaking his neck 3 times, twice at WWE. Injured he kept going, not resting enough to heal up, wearing him down so much. The final set of matches he was slow; after being out of the ring so long, it had taken its toll on him. Should have never been allowed to enter the ring 2019. He should have been retired by John Cena, but WWE never gave him the chance. Why John? Well, Kurt was his first match against him. He wanted to; it would be great to retire both of them during John Cena’s retirement tour 2025 but he was no longer in a fit state to do it. He no longer has feeling in his fingertips or can move his head. He admits he should have stepped away from the ring sooner, 20 years in the square. Just a a good all-around package; his story, turning that serious background into a hilarious, arrogant character, makes him even more compelling, really. Understanding how to work the crowd was key. One of the finest wrestlers of his generation but failed by the WWE wellness program. Lucky to be alive, really.

• Stone Cold and The Rock – You can’t talk about legends without putting these two together. They formed one of the great rivalries to ever exist. Stone Cold Steve Austin suffered a broken neck early in his career, which forced him to drop the technical stuff and lean into a primal brawling style and rely on his stellar mic work.³ The thing is, that change just made Austin better, launching the Attitude Era. The Rock has always been a great performer—that’s why he’s a Hollywood star. Now he’s on the board of the company he sometimes wrestles for. Both of them sometimes show up for a moment, like when Austin had one final match after 19 years, passing the torch to Kevin Owens.

John Cena: The Face of the Brand

What inspired me to write this post is his deserving to be on this list. His final date being set feels like the end of an era. At times, his in-ring work wasn’t the best, but he was able to carry the entire company for a decade and was the ultimate company guy. That ability to be the face of the brand and never falter is a legacy on its own. His retirement tour has seen him do some great matches. So far my favorite match from that is his match vs. AJ Styles, full of easter eggs of his past rivals.

The Modern Masters

Rob Van Dam (RVD) and The Dudley Boyz (Team 3D)

• Rob Van Dam (RVD) truly carved out his own niche in professional wrestling.⁴ He uniquely combined a mixed Luchador style of wrestling with mixed martial arts elements, creating a style nobody else was doing at the time. Known as the “Whole F’n Show,” he was the laidback, relaxed dude wearing tie-dyes, famous for his high-flying style and signature martial arts kicks. In many ways, his revolutionary, innovative approach reminds me of Rey Mysterio a bit, as he did things that were not common at the time and showed that unique, boundary-pushing stars like AJ Styles could exist in the future. He still active!

• The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von) were a tag team that was really fun to watch. They, along with The Hardyz and Edge & Christian, defined an era of tag team wrestling. Their involvement in those early TLC (Tables, Ladders, and Chairs) matches changed wrestling forever. Not only did they work incredible matches, but they did some crazy stunts that pushed the limits of the sport. It was always a pleasure watching them. They only recently retired, just a couple of weeks ago.

Current / Future Stars

• AJ Styles – He wants to retire in 2026; we don’t know when. He just wants to stop before he can no longer perform. For me, his run in WWE for the last part of his career has been great. Also, what I remember from the past outside of WWE he was great. Not sure how to describe him—a high-flying brawler, I guess.

• The Hardy Boyz – Jeff and Matt. Both of these guys were smaller than the heavyweights but invented the insane spots we see today. They did some crazy, career-defining stunts. It’s wild that they are still going after all those dives and falls. They’re both showing up in different promotions now, proving their endurance and love for the business.

• Rey Mysterio – One of my favorites of all time due to his high-flying Lucha Libre style.⁵ I honestly enjoy that fast-paced style, and it takes unbelievable athleticism to do it for so long. Even at this stage in his career, coming back from injury after injury, he is always one of the most exciting people to watch. He’s the ultimate underdog and a true pioneer.

• Penta – Who is very similar to Rey but takes Lucha Libre to the next level. Nobody knows his name.

• Omos – I just like his attitude and in-ring style.

Women’s Performers: Leading the Way

At the moment, I think the women lead the way in terms of match quality and story.

• Two names that stand out that helped shape women’s performance today are Trish Stratus and Lita. They pushed the boundary and made the women’s matches matter to a mainstream audience, setting the stage for what we see today. Lita started off training in the style Rey did and working with the Hardy Boyz.

• Iyo Sky – She reminds me of Rey Mysterio because of her unbelievable high-flying skill. She moves with such speed and precision—a total genius in the ring. Her athleticism makes her a can’t-miss performer who can hold her own against anyone.

• Rhea Ripley – She’s the whole package. The intensity, the strength, the confidence, and the look. She just got everything I’m looking for in a modern superstar, regardless of gender. She’s not just a top woman; she’s one of the most dominant stars in the entire company right now, hands down.

• Bianca Belair is another one who I really enjoy watching.

Finally, it’s time to end this blog post with a ring bell. Overall, wrestling has definitely found its form again, and the business is in a much healthier spot.

But, you know, there are still a few things that worry me. It’s a good thing competition is back—it’s no longer just one game in town, and there’s tons of talent to watch at WWE and elsewhere. But there’s definitely some monopoly-like behavior going on at the top.

It’s completely clear that WWE’s owners, TKO, want to turn it into a premium product, chasing profits just like the UFC. Vince, for all his faults, sold out to save his skin but ended up losing control of the product. This whole focus on monetizing absolutely everything and streamlining the business model? It could seriously backfire. The brand itself might stay strong, but if they start destroying the trust, that money may disappear.

It’s not the same as when I was growing up watching it. In some ways, it’s better; in some ways, worse. But it has evolved. I can see bits of it that I really like and other parts I hate. Again, I’m a casual viewer, but I really do enjoy NXT. Womens side of things is really good at the moment. That’s the balance right now: a good product, a healthy competitive scene, but a giant corporation with dollar signs in its eyes. Let’s hope the love for the product wins out over pure profit.