WWE Make Major John Cena Retirement Tour Decision Ahead of Record SmackDown
WWE have made a major decision on the John Cena retirement tour ahead of what is expected to be a record-breaking edition of SmackDown.
Cena, who is one of the most iconic figures within professional wrestling, has confirmed he is set to retire at the end of the year.
The 48-year-old is a record-17 time world champion, and has headlined multiple major WWE pay-per-view events during his career. But Friday Night Smackdown to be his final appearance on the weekend night show that takes place every week.
And fans are expect to flog to the Allstate Arena in Illinois is widely tipped to be his last SmackDown appearence. It means for many fans, it represents the final opportunity to see the wrestling legend perform live before he retires.
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Of the 16,046 tickets which were made available for the show, 16,031 have already been snapped up, meaning there are just 15 remaining.
The few remaining standard admission tickets are eye-wateringly expensive, starting from $663.60.
Despite that, the event is still expected to sell out and break a WWE record in the process.
The current record gate stands at $2.2m, but projections for Friday's SmackDown suggest it will breach the $2.3m mark.
When will John Cena retire?
Cena is currently in the middle of his year-long retirement tour, as he says goodbye to the industry that made him such a well-known name.
He has already in some of the WWE's biggest events this year, appearing at the Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber. He then defeated Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania to win the Undisputed WWE title.
Friday is expected to be Cena's final SmackDown appearance, with the remainder of his farewell tour taking place on Raw as it reaches its conclusion.
Although WWE are yet to officially confirm a date for Cena's final appearance, it has been rumoured that he will stop after WWE's Saturday Night Main Event in December. Others have speculated that it will come closer to the end of the year, with the 27 December mooted as a potential last appearance for Cena.
What will John Cena do when he retires?
Away from the ring, Cena has built an impressive career in entertainment.
He has starred in several films and TV shows, including The Marine, The Suicide Squad and he even featured in Barbie.
Cena has even ventured into music.
Back in 2014, he collaborated with the rapper Wiz Khalifa on two songs, and Cena is also a self-taught pianist.
While his wrestling career may be coming to an end, there are several opportunities for him in his retirement.
James Taylor