After putting up an incredible fight for over 20 minutes and refusing to give up, John Cena ultimately tapped out to GUNTHER’s Sleeper Hold in his final WWE match.
The shocking finish left the entire arena and fans around the world stunned, as the man who had always preached “never give up” finally did just that.
The booking decision led to an extremely negative reaction for WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H from fans in the arena.
The internet is divided, with some arguing that Cena should have passed out instead of tapping, while others felt that GUNTHER forcing The GOAT to submit elevated The Ring General to a whole new level.
On Instagram, GUNTHER posted the following after retiring yet another legend in 2025:
“Pro Wrestling > Sports Entertainment”
After GUNTHER’s post, Cena also made his first post after retiring:
As we noted last night, WRKD Wrestling is reporting that GUNTHER is also expected to retire Brock Lesnar. Michael Cole called GUNTHER “The Career Killer” last night.
John Cena’s Father Not Happy With How His Son Retired From WWE
The way John Cena’s final WWE match ended has been criticized by his own father. While John Cena Sr. acknowledged the tradition of wrestlers “going out on their back,” Cena Sr. questioned the decision to have his son tap out to GUNTHER at Saturday Night’s Main Event, calling the finish weak.
Speaking with Bill Apter, Cena Sr. admitted that he would have done the ending differently, even if it meant the same winner. Cena’s father said he saw the emotional audience reaction, but he thought the finish could have been stronger for everyone involved. He pointed out that Cena’s tap out was “light” and looked more like a final try to break the hold than a full surrender.
Cena Sr. stated that he would have preferred to see his son pass out instead. He explained that if GUNTHER had kept the hold on, Cena could have blacked out entirely, which would have still given GUNTHER the win without a tap out, saying: “I think it would have been better to go that way than how it kind of went.”
Despite the backlash from fans and now Cena’s father, Triple H defended the booking on the Saturday Night’s Main Event post-show. He stood by the decision completely, saying Cena spent his career talking about “leaving this place better than he found it.” Triple H made it clear he doesn’t care about the criticism and that fans will understand it soon.
