Was WrestleMania 39 John Cena's last 'Mania? Decoding what his gesture meant during Austin Theory match

John Cena came up short in his United States Championship match against Austin Theory at WrestleMania 39. The Cenation Leader's future in the sport became the talk of the wrestling world after his emotional gesture after the bout.

The 16-time World Champion was only a fingertip away from his victory in his latest title match. He locked in his submission move, which made Theory tap out, but the referee was knocked out in the corner, which is why he didn't see it. Cena thought it was already done, causing him to let go of Theory, and the champ took advantage. Austin connected with a low blow and delivered his finish, retaining the US title in the process.

After his defeat, Cena stood up with a loud reaction from the audience. He expressed his gratitude to the fans in attendance and waved to the crowd. Despite the emotional gesture, it's possible that John Cena's WrestleMania 39 appearance might not be his last.

John Cena won't be retiring from in-ring performances just yet, but he previously shared that his days as a wrestler are numbered. He may be going away for a while again to focus on his Hollywood career, but he will surely make appearances at the Stamford-based promotion from time to time. Still, plans could change over time.

John Cena remains positive despite controversial WWE WrestleMania 39 loss

The Peacemaker's return to the ring at the latest Show of Shows was marked for another special reason. During his entrance, he was joined by several Make-a-Wish kids on stage. As it turns out, that moment alone uplifted the WWE Superstar even after the outcome of his match.

In a tweet, the Hollywood actor commented that it was hard to top off the feeling of seeing the crowd while making an entrance at the Show of Shows. He then expressed his gratitude for sharing the moment with some of his "special friends."

"There are few things in entertainment that can rival seeing the @WWE Universe during a #WrestleMania entrance. Thankful I got share mine with some very special friends." John Cena tweeted.

For now, it looks like the 16-time World Champion is back to his projects on the big screen. It remains to be seen when the superstar will step foot inside the ring once again and who will be his opponent when the time comes.