WASHINGTON, D.C. -- John Cena has officially retired from the WWE. After 23 years of always showing the utmost Hustle, Loyalty and Respect, the Greatest Wrestler of Time has hung up his jorts for the final time.
His retirement match took place at WWE’s newest installment of Saturday Night’s Main event, on a match card that saw many current WWE legends take on the up-and-coming stars of tomorrow, per Cena’s request.
This entire week, WWE personnel and fans all over the world have been telling stories and showing love to Cena in the midst of his final match. Saturday night was no different, as the show was full of celebrities sending in videos thanking and congratulating Cena on his illustrious career, and video packages recapping his journey.
Despite the controversial decision at the end, the WWE did a great job honoring John Cena and his wishes throughout the entirety of the event, especially by not just making it about him, but the company’s future as a whole. Let’s take a look at the GOAT’s final night in the ring.
The Last Time Has Passed
Before the main event even began, this event was already a major success. The presentation, broadcast, and the three matches prior to the main event all were great, with the WWE doing everything they can to honor their GOAT in the appropriate way.
This all of course, led up to the match itself, with John Cena taking on Gunther, who defeated LA Knight to win ‘The Last Time is Now’ tournament. Then the time finally came to see what would happen. Cena made his emotional entrance, interacting with the crowd and Stu one final time, and it was time.
Throughout the week, there was constant discourse on what should happen, if Cena should win or lose his retirement match. Gunther in his recent promos stated how he didn’t want to just win, he wanted to make Cena tap out for the first time in over 20 years, to make him quit.
In the minds of the fans, there was no way Cena would tap in his retirement match. There was only one thing left to do, and it was finally time.
It was a great match, the typical Gunther style match with him dominating, and his opponent trying to get the upper hand. Cena managed to get the upper hand a few times. One being with an ‘Attitude Adjustment off of steel steps and through the announce table. Gunther kicked out. Another was with a super AA off the top-rope. Gunther kicked out.
Gunther even hit his signature power bombs on Cena on multiple occasions. Cena kicked out.
The crowd started to get desperate, chanting ‘Super Cena’, in hopes the GOAT could pull off an incredible comeback one final time.
As Gunther kept applying his dangerous sleeper lock onto Cena, Cena used the energy of the crowd to power himself back up. This happened for about three minutes straight, of Cena fighting for his life to not pass out.
Then, it happened.
Cena countered and hit an AA that Gunther kicked out of, before once again cinching in the sleeper hold even tighter. If you look closely at Cena’s face in that moment, a story is told.
He’s trying with all his might, all of his 23 years of passion and grit to escape the sleeper with all he can, until he hits a realization. This is the end, he has nothing left. He stops resisting the hold, an eerie sense of peace and acceptance comes over his face, and he taps.
John Cena, Mr. Never Give Up himself, gave up in his final match.
You could hear a pin drop in Capital One Arena. The looks of shock and despair rank up there with those of the New Orleans crowd after The Undertaker lost his streak at Wrestlemania 30.
The night then concluded with Gunther celebrating and being booed out of the building, the entire roster coming to thank Cena, including Triple H who the crowd was not happy to see, and a final video package was shown. Cena then left the ring, received the love one final time, and that was all she wrote.
Fans around the world, including myself, are heartbroken. For many, John Cena was and is a hero. The true embodiment of a ‘Superstar’. Not only was he the most entertaining guy on television, but he is also an amazing human being outside of the ring, that is what separated him from the rest.
Whether it was the over 650 Make a Wishes granted, or the viral videos of him showing love and respect to others, or the countless testimonies from his counterparts in the business, John Cena has always been for the people. And now, much to the dismay of the inner-children in all of us, he is calling it quits.
I don’t think he should’ve lost his last match especially via tap out. No one would’ve complained if he went Super Cena mode one final time and beat Gunther. This decision will live in wrestling infamy, and be debated forever.
None of that matters now though. Gunther will be an even bigger heel than ever, who has now retired Goldberg and John Cena. Most importantly, Cena can just be celebrated.
He went out on his terms, at the event that he wanted to, in front of those he loved the most. John Cena will never wrestle again, but he will remain in the hearts of all wrestling fans forever. All that’s left to be said is, Thank You Cena.
WWE Showcases Bright Future
With Cena being the selfless man he has been his entire career, he is the one who lobbied for this event to be a talent showcase for the young wrestlers of the future, and that is exactly what this was.
The opener of the evening saw NXT Champion Oba Femi, one of the most highly touted young wrestlers in the world, take on the WWE Champion, also known as WWE’s QB1, Cody Rhodes.
This match is as star-studded as it gets, featuring the current face of the company, and if all goes as it should, the future face of the WWE in Femi. The two shared an intense battle of words on Friday Night Smackdown in which Femi warned Cody that the future is here, and he proved that on the biggest stage of his career on Saturday Night.
He came out with an aura that only few have, with the crowd already familiar with his entrance music. He and Rhodes then battled, with Femi having a few spots where he really got to show off his dominance, including one where he charged into Rhodes who was sitting on the announcers table, busting Cody open.
Unfortunately, we never got to see who won, as before either champ could finish the job, Cody’s nemesis Drew McIntyre interfered, attacking Cody. Femi and Cody got the last laugh by both hitting their finishers on Drew, and raised each other's hands after.
It certainly would’ve ruffled some feathers for the WWE if either Femi or Rhodes won clean over the other, but regardless, these two showed out, and Femi looked like he belonged, which was the most important part. Without a doubt, this was not the final time these two will face off.
It’s no secret that Cena has been as big of a supporter of the women’s division in his career as anyone. Fittingly, the future of that division was also on display, with NXT star Sol Ruca taking on Bayley, a future Hall of Famer.
This was another banger of a match, giving fans a chance to potentially see Sol for the first time, as someone who is destined to be a huge name on the main roster soon.
She and Bayley traded big blows to one another, with Sol taking and kicking out of a Bayley-to-Belly, and delivering some acrobatic offense herself.
Even for those who haven’t watched a full Sol match, they’ve probably seen her hit her breathtaking finisher, the ‘Sol-Snatcher’, in which she does an inverted flip from the top ropes and hits a cutter to her opponent.
Sol managed to finally hit the move on Bayley, much to the joy of the crowd. Bayley though, who was not phased, turned Sol’s pin into a surprise roll-up attempt, before Sol then turned the roll-up pin onto Bayley, keeping her down for three seconds, and winning the match.
Ruca and Bailey certainly put on a show, and displayed the present and future of the women’s division, with Sol being elevated to a new level after getting the win. Like all the matches, the women held hands afterward and gave salutes to honor Cena.
Next up, the WWE presented a battle of eras as it was Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Dragon Lee taking on the young up-and-comers, NXT’s Je’Von Evans and TNA’s Leon Slater.
This match was many people’s pick for match of the night, and it certainly had that feel to it. A few days before, the WWE announced that the tag team titles would be on the line, which made it likely that the defending champs would win, and that is exactly what happened. But not before Evans and Slater, both 21-years-old, got to show their two-of-a-kind prowess and skill, flying all over the ring, and nearly stealing the victory in the opening minutes.
Styles and Lee were great as always, apart from one slip by Styles as he tried to go for the ‘Phenomenal Forearm’. Slater improvised well, and the sequence ended in Styles hitting the ‘Styles Clash’ onto Slater, retaining the titles for the champs.
Je’Von Evans could seriously be the next big thing in the WWE once he is called up. He’s already had great matches on the main roster, so Triple H and company trusting him in this spot is no surprise, and he proved them right once again. Leon isn’t a WWE star officially, even more reason why him being on this card is a huge deal. These two proved tonight that wrestling’s future is extremely bright.
Saturday Night’s Main Event Review
This was a great night for wrestling. The future was put on display, with one of those future stars even winning a match and creating an even bigger name for herself. More than anything else though, the WWE did a great job honoring and celebrating Cena. He will be missed, but he also made sure the world knew that wrestling is still in great hands, one final act showcasing that he has always been for the business, and for the people.