John Cena Jelly Roll
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 31: John Cena with Jelly Roll and Post Malone (L) ringside during WWE Clash in Paris at Paris Le Defense Arena on August 31, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images)
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Jelly Roll Congratulates John Cena on His WWE Retirement

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Jelly Roll made his first appearance in the WWE in 2024, chokeslamming Austin Theory at SummerSlam. He then made his official in-ring debut at SummerSlam 2025, teaming up with Randy Orton to face Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul.

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Obviously, Jelly Roll's record doesn't compare with that of John Cena. The wrestler-turned-actor has been a World Champion 17 times. 

On Saturday night, the Doctor of Thuganomics entered the ring one last time before retiring from the career that made him a star. Several friends, including Jelly Roll, sent him their congratulations for a job well done.

What Happened During John Cena's Last Match?

On Saturday, Dec. 13, Cena took on Gunther for WWE Saturday Night's Main Event in Washington, D.C.

The match marked a first for Cena. While in a sleeper hold, The Franchise tapped out. This is the only time Cena has lost by submission in his over two decades as a wrestler. 

While the crowd reacted negatively to the result, many considered it symbolic, reflecting that Cena was ending his wrestling career on his own terms. 

What Did Jelly Roll Say to John Cena?

It's obvious from his message that Jelly Roll counts himself a member of the "Cenation," the name Cena has given his followers. 

The "Save Me" singer said in an announcement before the match, "John Cena, the legendary, never seen 17. Man, thank you for all these years. Thank you for the inspiration. Thank you for being the role model that we all needed. You deserve this, brother. Congratulations, happy retirement."

Before taking the ring one last time, another GOAT had a message for Cena. 

"Congratulations on an incredible career," added Tom Brady. "You've impacted the lives of so many people inside the ring and outside the ring. Good luck in your last match. I hope you fare better in yours than I did in mine."

The Manning brothers, Peyton and Eli, offered Cena some advice.

"I've got to warn you when you enter the grocery store or step into your garage, there's no entrance music at all in retirement, unless you play it yourself on your AirPods," said Peyton. "So that's a free tip from me to you. Congrats again, pal."

"You inspired so many people," added Eli. "You won a ton of championships, almost impressive enough for me to forget the fact that you're a die-hard Patriots fan. But hey, I guess no one's perfect, including the '07 Patriots."

Cena Is Going to Return, Right?

While Cena will stay involved with the WWE as an ambassador, he recently told Jimmy Kimmel that he's pretty serious about staying out of the ring. 

"It's weird, there's a lot of skepticism out there because this has never been done before," he said. "I wanted to give people so much lead time - is being able to perform for two decades, people allowing me into their living rooms week after week, 52 weeks a year, no reruns, you do feel a connection with people. I wanted to give people a heads up so people could process whatever closure they wanted for the 13th."