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As a company that has been around for over 70 years, WWE and its fans have seen some of the greatest performers in the business hone their craft, become top names, and then hang up their boots and retire.
Whilst fans would love to see their favorite wrestlers compete in the ring forever, Father Time eventually catches up with even the most athletically gifted of superstars.
With a new year on the horizon, let's take a look at three WWE Superstars who are seemingly set to retire from the ring in 2025.
#3. A 28-year career comes to an end
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Meiko Satomura is a name that many WWE fans have only become acquainted with in the past couple of years. But she is an almost 30-year veteran.
The Japanese star is one of the few active performers in World Wrestling Entertainment today who competed in WCW in the late 1990s. This truly showcases her longevity.
In recent years she has been seen performing in NXT where she has taken on some of the brightest young stars that the company has to offer.
One of NXT's biggest names is the current Women's Champion Roxxane Perez, who has shared the ring with Satomura on a number of occasions. During a recent interview with Stephanie Chase, Perez spoke about how it felt to share a ring with the veteran.
"Meiko Satomura was my dream opponent probably since I was 16 years old, so coming to WWE and right away getting two matches against her within a few months of me being there was just insane. I really think that she is, if not the best, one of the best women's wrestlers - not women's wrestlers - one of the best wrestlers in the entire world. I am sad to see that she is going to be retiring next year."
Earlier this week, Satomura officially announced that her last ever match will be taking place on April 29th next year, and she set to compete for her Sendai Girls promotion at an event named 'Satomura The Final'.
#2. One final spear for a WWE Hall of Famer
Like Satomura, another star who has also competed in both WCW and WWE is set to retire in 2025. That name in question is the Hall of Famer, Goldberg.
The former Universal Champion was recently seen at the Bad Blood Premium Live Event in his hometown of Atlanta, and after he was called out by the World Heavyweight Champion Gunther, people started to wonder if the legend would be making his return to the ring.
Fans recently got their answer as Goldberg revealed on the SEC Network that he will be competing one last time in 2025.
"The news of the day is, per three executives, Nick Khan, Chris Legentil, and Paul Levesque, in 2025, Goldberg’s having his retirement match. I think we know who the victim, probably the frontrunner right now, we know who it is. But 2025, Goldberg makes his return, retirement match. I got a couple months to get ready. No date, no time, so we’ll see."
Having not wrestled since 2022, Goldberg seems determined to end his career on his terms, and whilst the date or opponent has not yet been announced you can bet that he will want to go out looking as strong as he did when he debuted in 1997.
#1. The GOAT says farewell
In what was one of the most shocking moments of 2024, John Cena announced at the Money In The Bank Premium Live Event in July that 2025 will be his last year in pro wrestling.
However, unlike Satomura and Goldberg, the 16-time World Champion is determined to have one last great year in WWE, with him announcing that he will be on a farewell tour of sorts in 2025, offering the chance for fans all over the world to see him compete one last time.
One person who knows Cena all too well is his former rival and current WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H. The Game spoke about Cena's retirement plans with Sportskeedas Senior Editor Bill Apter at the Summer Slam post-show press conference.
"John has earned the right in his career to do whatever he wants, when he wants and I'm happy to be there for him. I believe it is the beginning of the year, John will come back. And it's sort of like the farewell tour that has an end to it, and john is going to come back and just have a blast like he always does."
With Cena set to compete in a multitude of matches in 2025, the chance for many dream matches is endless. Whether he faces off against old foes like CM Punk and Randy Orton or battles new stars like Bron Breakker and Carmelo Hayes, the possibilities for Cena's retirement tour are excitingly endless.
