John Cena reacts to fans calling for “one more match” at WWE Backlash.
17-time WWE Champion John Cena retired from in-ring competition after his last match against Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event in December 2025. He then hosted both nights of WrestleMania 42 and just appeared at the Backlash PLE to make a historic announcement.
He made his way out to the ring wearing a suit and took a moment to soak in the fans’ cheers. He noted that it’s good to enjoy this moment as a retired wrestler and said it’s moments like this that made him think about the next chapter in WWE after his last match. It was then that the fans in the Benchmark International Arena erupted in “one more match” chants.
John Cena is happy with how his last match ended
John Cena reacted to those chants, saying he couldn’t be any happier with how his last match transpired. He also said he’s happy with how it turned into a night of opportunity for several NXT stars.
“I expected this. You don’t know how good that makes me feel. Honestly, I think a lot about that last match. I think a lot about that last evening.” As fans booed, he continued, “I hear you. There were some people who were upset. I, for one, was truly happy. Honestly.
“I reflect a lot on that evening, and I couldn’t be more happy, because what was most important to me about that night is we all made it something bigger,” John Cena said. “If you look at the night in its entirety, it became an evening of opportunity. I made sure whoever my opponent was, they had to win their way in to earn the spot (through the Last Time is Now Tournament).
“I kindly asked WWE Superstars if they would be gracious enough to give opportunities, which they willingly did to NXT Superstars, so they can be in front of a crowd like this and show the world what they’ve got. Think about it, on that night, on that grand stage, for the first time, we saw Sol Ruca, we saw Je’Von Evans, yo, we saw Oba Femi.” John Cena led the fans in Oba Chants before continuing, “Oba Femi debuts in December, and four months later, he is strutting (he does the strut himself) and kicking Brock Lesnar’s a** at WrestleMania.”
Taking it from there, John Cena went on to break the “history-making announcement he promised.”
Read More: WATCH: WWE Backlash Sees Asuka Breaks Character For Emotional Embrace With IYO SKY
