What it’s essential find out about John Cena’s final WWE match after 23-year profession
After 23 years as main event WWE superstar, John Cena is about to bring the curtain down on his illutrious career
Everything you need to know about John Cena’s final WWE match at Saturday Night’s Main Event
- Culmination of a year-long farewell tour: John Cena’s retirement has not been abrupt, but rather an extended farewell that spanned 2025 across multiple major events. This final match provides the official in-ring closure to a legendary career that has featured a shock heel turn, championship wins and huge matches with long-time rivals.
- His final opponent: Cena’s final match is against former World Heavyweight Champion Gunther, who earned the spot by winning the 16-man “The Last Time is Now” tournament. This setup positions Gunther as a major force, as traditionally a retiring legend loses their final match to “put over” a younger, rising talent.
- Match follows Cena completing Grand Slam: Just weeks before his retirement, Cena achieved the one major accolade that had eluded him by winning the Intercontinental Championship. This victory completed his career “Grand Slam” of major WWE titles, adding a sense of ultimate finality and completeness to his in-ring legacy.
- Cena’s wish to focus on future: Cena advocated for his final event to be used as a platform to showcase the company’s next generation of talent. His bout with Gunther and the overall card structure, which features rising stars from NXT, is a deliberate effort to pass the torch on a major stage.
- Gunther’s intentions: Gunther, a hard-hitting and no-nonsense wrestler, has explicitly stated he has no intention of treating the match as a respectful send-off for a retiring legend. His goal is to defeat Cena decisively, potentially even by submission, to create a memorable and painful moment that cements his own status.
- Cena’s no U-turn: Despite the scepticism often associated with wrestling retirements, Cena has been clear that this is his last ever in-ring performance due to the physical toll of competing. While he will remain affiliated with WWE in an ambassadorial role, his two-decade-plus wrestling journey concludes with this event.
- READ MORE: John Cena ‘won’t be missed in WWE’ says British wrestling legend

At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Terms and Conditions.
