With only two weeks left in 2025, it is time to look back on the year that has gone by. WWE had another record-breaking year, where a lot of things changed, starting with RAW’s move to Netflix.

As things wind down, it is time to pick the best male wrestler of the year. While it was a close call between a seasoned veteran and one of the most exciting young talents in the company, the legend takes the top spot.

Few stars had a year as fruitful as Dominik Mysterio, with the Judgment Day member winning the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 41 for the first time, the AAA Mega Championship, and the IC Title once again at Survivor Series by defeating John Cena in the legend’s final premium live event match.

However, Sportskeeda’s Best Male Wrestler of the Year is the Never Seen 17, John Cena.

Why John Cena Was WWE’s Best Male Wrestler of 2025

At Money in the Bank 2024, John Cena confirmed that he would go on a retirement tour in 2025, ending in December. The Franchise Player started things off at the Royal Rumble, finishing as the runner-up before punching his ticket to WrestleMania 41 by winning the Men’s Elimination Chamber Match. He then turned heel and claimed his 17th world championship by defeating Cody Rhodes and breaking Ric Flair’s record for the most WWE world titles in the process.

Cena went on to compete at every single premium live event in 2025 and finally became a Grand Slam Champion in WWE by winning the Intercontinental Championship from Dominik Mysterio. However, his reign didn’t last long, and he ended up dropping the title back to Dirty Dom at Survivor Series.

2025 has been Cena’s year by far, with his retirement tour being the highlight of almost every PLE. While there were a lot of valid criticisms of his final run as a WWE Superstar, no other wrestler has come close to moving the needle as much as John Cena this year.

Cena has had at least two ‘match-of-the-year’ level performances – against Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam 2025 and against AJ Styles at Crown Jewel 2025, and it showcased his in-ring prowess at its best despite the “You Can’t Wrestle” chants he had to endure during his heel run.

John Cena showcased his incredible work ethic once again by working every major premium live event, and bid farewell to the ring on his own terms – a feat few icons can claim.