John Cena bows out with gritty defeat against Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event

John Cena’s iconic WWE career came to an emotional end at Saturday Night’s Main Event, where the 17-time world champion suffered a gritty submission loss to Gunther in his farewell match.

Cena was forced to tap out to Gunther’s Sleeper Hold after a hard-fought contest that kept the Capital One Arena crowd on edge throughout. The defeat marked the first time in nearly 20 years that Cena had submitted in a WWE ring — a result that left many fans stunned and visibly upset.

A farewell steeped in emotion

The night was designed as a celebration of Cena’s legacy, with several of his greatest rivals and peers in attendance. Kurt Angle, Mark Henry and Rob Van Dam watched from ringside, alongside WWE Hall of Famers Michelle McCool and Trish Stratus. Other legends, including The Rock and Kane, sent video messages wishing Cena well ahead of his final bout.

WWE aired multiple tribute packages throughout the show, chronicling Cena’s achievements and career-defining moments, as emotions ran high inside the arena.

Gunther vs Cena: a brutal final battle

Gunther made his entrance first to heavy boos, while the atmosphere erupted when Cena walked out to his iconic theme for one final time. The veteran was greeted in the ring by his former rivals as fans roared their approval.

Gunther controlled much of the early action, drawing loud jeers from the crowd. Cena rallied with the Five Knuckle Shuffle and an STF, but the Ring General quickly reasserted dominance with a sustained beatdown.

Summoning one last burst of “Super Cena,” the record world champion landed another Five Knuckle Shuffle and an Attitude Adjustment, but Gunther kicked out at two and nearly put Cena to sleep with the Sleeper Hold. Gunther then punished Cena around ringside, including using the steel steps, though the move backfired when Cena countered with an Attitude Adjustment through the announce table.

Despite multiple near-falls and chants of “You still got it,” Gunther absorbed everything Cena threw at him — including a top-rope AA — before locking in the Sleeper Hold once more. This time, Cena had no option but to tap out.

The result drew a mixed reaction, with fans expressing their displeasure at the booking as Gunther stood tall.

An unforgettable goodbye

After the match, the WWE locker room emptied out to applaud Cena in the ring. A final tribute video played as an emotional Cena removed his sneakers and left them in the ring — a symbolic farewell gesture.

He saluted the camera and told the fans, “It’s been a pleasure serving you all these years. Thank you,” before exiting through the curtain for the final time.

Saturday Night’s Main Event: Other results

Cody Rhodes vs Oba Femi (Champion vs Champion)
The show opened with a marquee clash between WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and NXT Champion Oba Femi. Rhodes was busted open during a physical contest and appeared close to victory before Drew McIntyre interfered, causing a disqualification.

An angry Femi confronted McIntyre, who was then hit with a Cody Cutter from Rhodes before Femi flattened him with a chokeslam. Rhodes and Femi shook hands in a show of mutual respect.

Sol Ruca vs Bayley
NXT standout Sol Ruca earned the biggest win of her career by defeating Bayley in a competitive back-and-forth match. Bayley narrowly avoided defeat after the Sol Snatcher, but Ruca reversed a roll-up to secure the upset victory.

AJ Styles & Dragon Lee vs Je’von Evans & Leon Slater
World Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Dragon Lee faced Je’von Evans and TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater in a fast-paced encounter. Despite strong showings from the younger duo, Styles recovered from a slip on the ropes to deliver a powerbomb and Styles Clash for the win. All four men paid tribute to Cena after the match.

The Miz segment
The Miz attempted to mock Cena before being interrupted by R-Truth, who accused him of ruining Joe Hendry’s moment in the Last Time Is Now tournament. Hendry joined Truth in laying out The Miz, ending the segment with a fitting nod to Cena ahead of the main event.