World Wrestling Entertainment has confirmed the retirement of John Cena following his final in-ring appearance against GUNTHER at Saturday Night’s Main Event on Saturday, December 14, 2025, bringing to a close a 20-year career that helped shape WWE’s modern era.
The farewell contest came after the conclusion of the Last Time Is Now tournament, which was created to determine Cena’s final opponent.
GUNTHER emerged victorious in the tournament, setting up a clash between two wrestlers whose careers represent different generations within WWE.
Cena, widely known for his power-based wrestling style and deep connection with fans, faced an opponent recognised for technical discipline and physical intensity.
Ahead of the bout, GUNTHER made it clear that emotion would not influence his approach, insisting he would treat the match as a competitive contest rather than a ceremonial send-off.
The final appearance capped a career that included 16 recognised world championship reigns, multiple WrestleMania main events and years as one of WWE’s most prominent global figures.
Over two decades, Cena became a central face of WWE programming, contributing significantly to the company’s expansion beyond wrestling into mainstream entertainment.
Beyond the ring, Cena successfully transitioned into film and television, further broadening his global profile while remaining closely associated with WWE.
Saturday Night’s Main Event was broadcast live worldwide, with the show airing at 8.00 pm ET in the United States via Peacock and through WWE’s international broadcast partners across Europe, Asia and Australia.
The event also featured several championship matches, including an undisputed title defence by Cody Rhodes against NXT Champion Oba Femi, a World Tag Team Title defence by AJ Styles and Dragon Lee, a women’s singles match between Bayley and Sol Ruca, as well as an appearance by Kevin Owens.
Despite the broader card, focus remained firmly on Cena’s final match and its significance for WWE.
His bout against GUNTHER was framed as a symbolic meeting of past and present, marking the end of an era while signalling the company’s transition toward the next generation of stars.
