NBC confirms December date for John Cena’s WWE retirement bout on Saturday Night’s Main Event broadcast

John Cena’s two-decade run in WWE officially has an end date. NBC Sports confirmed on Wednesday, Aug. 20, that the 17-time world champion will wrestle his final match on Saturday Night’s Main Event on Dec.

13, 2025. The venue remains unannounced, but all signs point to Boston, Massachusetts, not far from Cena’s hometown of West Newbury. His opponent is still a mystery, but the moment itself is now locked in.

John Cena’s farewell tour reaches its final chapter

The announcement arrives in the middle of a busy reshuffling of WWE’s broadcast future. Earlier in the day, the company revealed that its premium live events will move to ESPN platforms beginning in September, three months earlier than planned.

Peacock, meanwhile, secured a multiyear deal to stream four editions of Saturday Night’s Main Event each year, including John Cena’s farewell bout. The shift ensures fewer commercial breaks and avoids the hard cutoffs that previously disrupted live moments.

“Peacock has had a wonderful relationship with the WWE and we’re excited to see it continue far into the future,” said Rick Cordella, President of NBC Sports.

“Saturday Night’s Main Event is some of the most premium content the WWE produces, including John Cena’s upcoming retirement match, and it will be all live and exclusive on Peacock.”As for Cena’s final days in the WWE, he is expected to appear under the show-stealing spotlight. Here are the remaining dates scheduled for Cena—

Cena, who announced that 2025 would be his final year, is on the final dates of his farewell tour.

He committed to 36 appearances in his last season, and as of Aug. 20, has completed 25. Eleven dates remain, nine of which are confirmed. Those include high-profile matches against Logan Paul at Clash in Paris on Aug. 31 and possibly Brock Lesnar at the inaugural Wrestlepalooza on Sept. 20 in Indianapolis.Cena embraced his first heel turn earlier this year and claimed his record 17th world championship.

What comes next for John Cena and WWE?

While the Dec. 13 opponent has not been revealed, speculation is already running wild.

Veterans such as Brock Lesnar have been mentioned, but there’s also growing talk of WWE handing the honor to a younger star like Gunther or Bron Breakker. Whoever stands across the ring, Cena’s final match is expected to be one of the most watched wrestling events in recent memory.WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque framed the Peacock deal as a continuation of a long partnership. “NBCU have been terrific longtime partners, and we look forward to continuing to work with them for years to come,” he said.As Cena prepares to hang up his jorts, the December special will serve not just as the end of a career, but also as a bridge into WWE’s new media era. Saturday Night’s Main Event, a franchise that first debuted in 1985, will carry the weight of closing one of wrestling’s most celebrated chapters.Also Read: Bayley teases Jimmy Uso with a playful jab following his wife Naomi’s pregnancy announcement on Raw