John Cena Faces Lawsuit Just Days Before His Final WWE Match — Here’s What Happened
With only a few days left in his WWE career as an in-ring performer, John Cena has been hit with a lawsuit. The 17-time world champion is set to retire after one final match at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13 in Washington, D.C.
His final opponent will be confirmed on this week’s SmackDown, where Gunther and LA Knight will battle in the final of The Last Time Is Now Tournament. They’ve emerged from a 16-man bracket, and while both have fought hard to reach the final, one Superstar is heavily tipped to win and secure the honour of facing Cena in his farewell match.
However, even after stepping away from the ring, Cena may still have legal issues tied to his WWE tenure. Earlier this week, both he and WWE were named in a lawsuit.
Why John Cena Is Being Sued
When Cena walks out for his final match, he will enter to his famous “My Time Is Now” theme song, which he has used for over 20 years and even performed the vocals for. That very theme is now at the centre of the legal dispute involving Cena, WWE, and parent company TKO.
The lawsuit claims the song contains an unlicensed sample. According to Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics, the issue stems from “the iconic horn arrangements that open and run throughout the track.”
Kim Schofield filed the suit on behalf of her late father, Canadian musician Pete Schofield. She alleges that the horns were taken from his instrumental cover of “The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia.”
Cena Will Still Use the Theme for His Retirement Match
WWE has reportedly known about the issue for years. In fact, they reached a $50,000 settlement with Schofield in 2017 to resolve the matter. But Schofield now wants that agreement voided, arguing she and her family were misled about how extensively the song would be used.
She is now seeking damages worth more than triple the original settlement. Under federal law, Cena and the other defendants have up to 21 days to respond, meaning Cena will still be able to use “The Time Is Now” in full for his retirement match — even if he eventually loses the rights to the song as it currently exists.
