It’s official: Gunther will be John Cena’s last-ever opponent. The Ring General defeated LA Knight in the finals of the “Last Time is Now” tournament to book a date with The Greatest of All Time at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
With all due respect to Gunther, Knight could have benefited more from facing Cena. The Ring General is already an established Superstar, and retiring Cena will be another addition to an impressive list of accolades. It would’ve also made more sense for Cena to have his final dance with an older and more prominent rival. Edge was a name that was on every fan’s wishlist.
Nevertheless, here, we attempt to justify WWE’s decision to book the Ring General as John Cena’s final opponent at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
#3. Gunther vs. John Cena is the ultimate dream match
While it’s understandable why Ruthless Aggression fans would want someone like Edge to be John Cena’s final opponent, Gunther vs. John Cena is still a dream match. In fact, few would have complained if Cena had faced the Ring General at WrestleMania 41 instead of Cody Rhodes.
The longest reigning Intercontinental Champion will be WWE’s top heel, heading into the next few years. His dominance is unparalleled, and his stranglehold over the roster cannot be explained in words. On the contrary, we have the Leader of the Cenation, the ultimate babyface, looking for one last taste of glory before hanging up the boots.
Both men bring a ton of star power to the equation. There is also an intriguing juxtaposition to their career paths. Gunther vs. John Cena also has a “big fight” feel. Therefore, it feels like a legitimate dream match.
"You finally and definitely will give up!"
Gunther has quite the message for John Cena… 👀 pic.twitter.com/WmcgOVcl3j
— WWE (@WWE) December 6, 2025
#2. The Ring General could begin a streak of ending prolific careers
Many fans believed that Gunther didn’t need to retire John Cena because he had already retired Goldberg the previous July. An alternative perspective supports WWE’s decision to proceed with the Ring General, as this could be used to fuel an intriguing gimmick.
After putting down Cena, Gunther will have retired two legends in one year. AJ Styles has announced his plans to hang up the boots in 2026, and CM Punk is not far behind. Triple H may book the 2-time World Heavyweight Champion to retire both Styles and Punk. This would make Gunther the “Kryptonite” of fading veterans.
The “Legend Killer” gimmick did wonders for Randy Orton early in his career. It established Orton as one of the greatest villains of all time. Thus, it makes sense for WWE to take a similar route with Gunther.
#1. Gunther is one of the few men who could realistically make John Cena “give up.”
Although John Cena has made a career out of “Never Giving Up,” all signs suggest that he will tap out at Saturday Night’s Main Event, hugely putting Gunther over on his way out of the WWE.
The Ring General employs a mat-based technique that combines sheer power and technical submission moves. We’ve seen him use the Sleeper Hold to great effect, but he introduced a unique submission maneuver on SmackDown last week.
The former World Heavyweight Champion forced LA Knight to submit to a modified version of the STF. This was a clear message to John Cena, as Gunther is looking to submit “The Greatest of All Time.”
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