John Cena’s legendary 23-year in-ring career came to an emotional end on December 13, 2025, at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, D.C.’s Capital One Arena. The 17-time WWE Champion faced Gunther (the winner of the “Last Time Is Now” tournament) in a highly anticipated main event, billed as Cena’s final match.

Match Result

• Winner: Gunther via submission
• Finish: Gunther forced John Cena to tap out to a sleeper hold (Gojira Clutch variation) after a brutal back-and-forth battle.
• Match Length: Approximately 24 minutes
• This marked a rare submission loss for Cena, who hadn’t tapped out in over 20 years.

The crowd was electric throughout, with massive “Thank You Cena” chants, but many booed the finish, hoping for a feel-good victory. Cena insisted on putting over Gunther to pass the torch to the next generation.

Key Moments and Highlights

• Early Going: Gunther dominated with vicious chops, uppercuts, and a bodyslam, drawing “You tapped out!” chants (referencing Gunther’s own history).
• Cena’s Comeback: Cena rallied with signature shoulder tackles, a side slam, the “You Can’t See Me” hand gesture, and the Five Knuckle Shuffle. He locked in the STF, forcing Gunther to power out.
• High Spots: Cena hit an Attitude Adjustment through the announce table outside the ring. Later, he countered a flying slam into an avalanche AA from the top rope for a near fall.
• Turning Point: Gunther hit a powerbomb, followed by relentless sleeper hold attempts. Cena fought valiantly, escaping multiple times, but Gunther reapplied the hold, dragging Cena down until he tapped.
• Intensity: The match featured heavy chops leaving welts, powerbombs, German suplexes, and lariats from Gunther, mixed with Cena’s never-give-up resilience and multiple near falls.

Post-Match Emotional Farewell

After the bell, Cena sat in the ring, smiling through the pain as the crowd chanted “Thank You Cena.” He kissed the mat, saluted the fans, and left his signature wristbands, boots, and jorts in the center of the ring—a traditional retirement symbol.

The entire WWE roster, including Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, legends like Shawn Michaels, Trish Stratus, Kurt Angle, and Mark Henry, surrounded the ring for a standing ovation. Rhodes and Punk placed their championship belts on Cena’s shoulders as a symbolic gesture.

Cena raised the belts to the crowd one last time before embracing Triple H and waving goodbye.