Gunther Fires Warning Shot After In-Ring Return Ahead of John Cena’s Final Match

Gunther moved one step closer to a potential showdown with John Cena, returning to action for the first time since SummerSlam.

Gunther Fires Warning Shot After In-Ring Return Ahead of John Cena’s Final Match

John Cena and Gunther (via WWE)

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John Cena’s final-ever appearance on Monday Night Raw at the iconic Madison Square Garden featured a standout six-man tag team match. The reigning Intercontinental Champion teamed with Sheamus and Rey Mysterio to defeat the villainous Judgment Day in the opening bout of the night. 

With the match behind him, Cena now has only two more appearances left on his retirement tour. One of those dates is already set, with the 17-time world champion scheduled to defend his title against Dominik Mysterio at Survivor Series later this month. But Cena’s farewell storyline had another major development on the same show. 

The night also marked the return of Gunther, who competed for the first time since SummerSlam, where he lost the world title to CM Punk in a 30-minute barnburner. The Austrian stepped back into the ring and defeated NXT standout Je’Von Evans in a first-round tournament match, even bringing back his old entrance theme to reestablish his imposing presence. 

The powerhouse now advances to the quarterfinals, joining Jey Uso, LA Knight, Solo Sikoa, Sheamus, and Rusev, who have also secured first-round victories. Two first-round matches remain: Carmelo Hayes vs. Bronson Reed and Finn Balor vs. Penta. The winner of Hayes vs. Reed will face Gunther in the next round.

Following his victory, the former 2-time champion released a video on social media addressing his return and boldly predicting that he will win the tournament and go on to face Cena on December 13th.

A very successful comeback. First round completed. On to next week. The Last Time Is Now tournament. But I think it’s no secret – the last time is me. The Ring General.

Gunther via Instagram

As already stated, Gunther is set to compete in the quarterfinals on next week’s Raw, continuing his quest to secure a place opposite Cena. Since joining WWE’s main roster in 2022, he has been one of the most dominant forces in the company. 

A true heel, most of his victories have come clean against top names such as Randy Orton, Drew McIntyre, and even retired Goldberg earlier this year. He also holds the record for the longest Intercontinental Championship reign in history at 666 days, and his first run as world champion stands as the second-longest on record.

Former Nexus member claims there is no heat with John Cena despite the controversial finish to SummerSlam 2010

While John Cena is often praised for helping younger talent behind the scenes, one former star believes that the 17-time champion played a major role in the downfall of a hugely popular faction. At SummerSlam 2010, Team WWE faced The Nexus in a seven-on-seven elimination match after the group of NXT rookies had dominated the company throughout the summer.

Cody Rhodes, John Cena, CM Punk
Cody Rhodes, John Cena, CM Punk (via WWE)

For the unversed, The Nexus quickly became one of the hottest acts of 2010, earning major fan support as they feuded with Cena. Wade Barrett, as the leader, gained significant momentum, and many expected the storyline to launch the faction into long-term success. Their act was based on targeting multiple WWE stars and then beating them down in a brutal manner.

However, their first major showdown with Cena ended with a decisive loss. Despite being outnumbered, he defeated Justin Gabriel and Barrett on his own to win the match for Team WWE, a creative decision that has been heavily criticized by fans ever since.

Edge and Chris Jericho have previously spoken out about the choice not to put The Nexus over, believing it stalled their momentum and ultimately halted what could have been a massive storyline.

During an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, former Nexus member David Otunga was asked if he holds any heat toward Cena over the result. 

No heat at all. It was his decision. I don’t think it was the right decision, if you ask John, and he was being honest, I don’t think he thinks it was the right decision in hindsight. But no, there’s no heat there at all, no animosity.

David Otunga via The Ariel Helwani Show

Despite the disappointing outcome, Otunga made it clear that he holds no grudges, even if many fans and former stars still consider the SummerSlam finish one of the most questionable creative decisions of the era.

Moreover, he recently added that The Nexus should have been included in Cena’s ongoing retirement tour, which concludes on December 13, arguing that their return would have been a fitting nostalgic moment for one of the company’s most talked-about storylines.

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