John Cena Reflects on His Last WWE Battle as He Prepares for Gunther on December 13th

After Gunther dominated LA Knight on SmackDown to earn the right to face John Cena at SNME, the 17-time champion addressed the mega clash.

John Cena Reflects on His Last WWE Battle as He Prepares for Gunther on December 13th

John Cena and Gunther (via WWE)

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John Cena’s WWE swansong is finally official: the 17-time World Champion will face Gunther on December 13th at Saturday Night’s Main Event. The Austrian powerhouse earned his spot by dominating LA Knight in the finals of the Last Time Is Now tournament on last week’s blue brand show.

Gunther shredded Knight with stiff elbows to the neck before making him tap out with the cravat—a submission reminiscent of Cena’s own STF. The former 2-time World champion even stared directly into the camera, sending a chilling message about Cena also giving up in less than a week’s time.

Continuing his tradition of addressing his final appearances, Cena took to social media on Saturday to speak directly to his opponent for the last match of his career at Capital One Arena in the nation’s capital next week. On X, he expressed his respect for Gunther and his excitement for the showdown.

The stage is set for One Last Match. On a night of epic proportions, it is an honor to face off against an opponent who I respect and who has earned the right to issue this final challenge! I will bring my best, I know he will do the same! Don’t miss the Final Time!

John Cena via X

Gunther returned to the company on the November 17 episode of Raw to compete in the Last Time Is Now Tournament after being off television since August, following his loss of the World Heavyweight Championship to CM Punk at SummerSlam. 

He made his way to the finals in dominating fashion by defeating Je’Von Evans, Carmelo Hayes, and Solo Sikoa. For the unversed, Cena and Gunther have never faced off in a one-on-one match, and The Ring General may represent one of the toughest challenges of Cena’s storied career. 

The Austrian is the longest-reigning Intercontinental champion in WWE history at 666 days, a former 2-time World Heavyweight champion, and recently defeated Goldberg in his retirement match earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Cena captured his 17th World title at WrestleMania 41, cementing his legacy as one of the all-time greats. With a career filled with unforgettable moments, it would seem fitting for him to end his in-ring journey with a victory. 

Yet, during his retirement tour, Cena has taken losses against the likes of Cody Rhodes, Brock Lesnar, and most recently, Dominik Mysterio at Survivor Series, leaving fans to wonder: could Gunther deliver one final challenge before Cena steps away for good?

John Cena weighs in on his lopsided title bout against Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam 2014

John Cena’s retirement tour delivered excitement and emotional highs, but one of its most talked-about moments came during his brutal showdown with Brock Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza in September. Lesnar’s sudden return at SummerSlam after a two-year hiatus was jaw-dropping enough, yet no fan expected Cena to be mercilessly dominated in what was supposed to be the final chapter between the duo. 

Brock Lesnar and John Cena
Brock Lesnar and John Cena (via WWE)

Their singles clash at the ESPN-led WWE PLE debut marked their first true one-on-one meeting in years, and they kicked off the show with a statement. Unfortunately for Cena, that statement was all Lesnar. In under nine minutes, ‘The Beast Incarnate’ dismantled Cena, with Paul Heyman delivering a vintage pre-match introduction to set the tone. 

The bout felt eerily similar to their infamous 2014 SummerSlam encounter, a match forever remembered as the birth of ‘Suplex City.’ For newer fans, SummerSlam 2014 remains one of the most lopsided world title matches in history. 

Cena entered as the WWE World Heavyweight kingpin while Lesnar walked in as the unstoppable monster who had just ended The Undertaker’s legendary streak at WrestleMania 30. What followed was a demolition. 

Cena was tossed around relentlessly, absorbing suplex after suplex before finally succumbing to a devastating F-5. Lesnar held the championship all the way to WrestleMania 31, where Seth Rollins executed the unforgettable heist of the century.

Speaking recently with The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, Cena broke down the psychology behind that iconic 2014 defeat, explaining in detail why the match unfolded exactly as it did. He reflected on his decades of storytelling experience, pointing to what he called a flip scenario. 

The purpose of that match was to get Brock Lesnar over strong on our most cherished, strong, and believable intellectual property. If he can beat The Undertaker, he’s a beast. If he just destroys John Cena, I want you uncomfortable and looking over to your shoulder at your friend, being like, ‘Who the f**k is going to beat this guy?’

John Cena via The Ringer

Cena’s psychology was crystal clear: he wanted Lesnar to appear like a machine built for destruction. A dominant reign needed a dominant beginning, and he understood the value in being the one to elevate that aura.

He further emphasized that WWE’s storytelling thrives on cycles of dominance and conquest. Someone rises to become the unbeatable force, and someone else eventually arrives to topple them.

In this case, Cena added, a superstar like Roman Reigns emerges to end that level of domination, just as Cody Rhodes ultimately dethroned ‘The Tribal Chief’  after his historic four-year title reign at WrestleMania 40. 

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