John Cena has officially returned to WWE after 125 days since his retirement match at Saturday Night's Main Event. His comeback was announced during the Hall of Fame Red Carpet event, where he revealed that he will host WrestleMania 42 on both nights. This surprising return has drawn mixed reactions from fans, particularly regarding the timing and its potential impact on declining ticket sales for WWE events. Despite speculation that Cena would remain absent from WWE programming throughout 2026, he had signed a contract post-retirement, allowing for this appearance. During his interview with Hall of Fame hosts Peter Rosenberg and Jackie Redmond, Cena shared that the only match he watched from his retirement tour was against AJ Styles at WWE Crown Jewel 2025, which brought him to tears due to its emotional significance.