John Cena’s Retirement Match Set for December 13th on Peacock as WWE & NBC Lock in New Deal

The end of an era is officially on the calendar. WWE has confirmed that John Cena’s final match will take place on Saturday, December 13, 2025, as part of the Saturday Night’s Main Event series streaming exclusively on Peacock.

The event is slated for Boston, Massachusetts, Cena’s home state, though WWE has yet to confirm the exact venue. While speculation is rampant over who Cena’s final opponent will be, insiders note that the 17-time World Champion will likely let WWE make the call rather than handpicking his own farewell challenger. True to form, Cena intends to “do the honors” in his last outing — a philosophy he’s carried throughout his two-decade career.

View the full press release confirming the details, here.

A Retirement Tour Nears Its End

Cena announced in July 2024 that 2025 would be his final year as an active wrestler. As of August 2025, he has just 11 dates left on his retirement tour before stepping into the ring one last time. WWE and NBC were reportedly weighing whether to run the retirement bout on December 13 or December 27. The earlier date avoids a head-to-head clash with AEW’s Worlds End, making the December 13 primetime slot on Peacock the decisive choice.

WWE & NBC Strengthen Their Partnership

Alongside Cena’s farewell news, WWE and Peacock also confirmed a multi-year partnership that cements Saturday Night’s Main Event as a Peacock exclusive. Beginning this fall, Peacock will stream the legendary series four times a year in primetime.

• The first edition airs November 1, 2025.
• Cena’s retirement bout headlines the December 13, 2025 broadcast.

NBC Sports President Rick Cordella praised the deal, calling Cena’s retirement match “some of the most premium content WWE produces.” WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque echoed that sentiment, calling NBCU “terrific longtime partners” as WWE leans into a new chapter of streaming distribution.

What Happens to WWE’s Library?

NBC confirmed that the WWE Network library will remain available on Peacock through the end of 2025, with NXT premium live events remaining until March 2026. The SmackDown archive will stay on Peacock on a 30-day delay, while SmackDown continues to air live every Friday on USA Network.

The partnership ensures fans will have access to WWE’s most important content while also positioning Saturday Night’s Main Event as a major streaming tentpole moving forward.

Wrestling.news | Backstage Take

John Cena’s retirement match isn’t just another WWE main event — it’s the symbolic closing of a chapter that defined modern pro wrestling. Locking it in for December 13 avoids a direct clash with AEW and sets up Peacock to ride a massive wave of nostalgia and viewership. The real intrigue is who WWE will tab as Cena’s final opponent. Will it be a torch-passing moment to a young star like Bron Breakker, a personal rivalry with someone like Randy Orton, or a crossover spectacle? WWE is holding that card close, but the build to Boston will dominate the conversation this fall.

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