John Cena will wrestle his final WWE match against GUNTHER in front of over 18,000 fans at the Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. tomorrow at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
On Wednesday, Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer reported that WWE was planning for Cena vs. GUNTHER to open the show. On Thursday, Andrew Baydala stated that the bout would instead close out the event.
Now, according to WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select, the consensus among WWE officials is that Cena’s retirement match should headline Saturday Night’s Main Event.
While nothing is officially set in stone, there’s still a chance The GOAT could open the show. The option is still “on the table.”
Many fans have criticized the possible decision, arguing that John Cena’s final match as a professional wrestler is too emotional of a moment to kick off the show, and it deserves to close out Saturday Night’s Main Event.
WrestleVotes also reported that WWE plans to debut a more modern, Premium Live Event style look for this weekend’s show, moving away from the retro vibe of SNME.
It’s unclear whether this will be a permanent change or just for Cena’s final match.
In addition to Cena vs. GUNTHER, the card will feature Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. NXT Champion Oba Femi, Bayley vs. Sol Ruca, and AJ Styles & Dragon Lee defending the World Tag Team Championship against Je’Von Evans & TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater.
GUNTHER Reacts To Fans Being Upset About WWE Choosing Him As John Cena’s Final Opponent
GUNTHER secured victory in The Last Time Is Now Tournament by defeating LA Knight in the final, earning the right to retire John Cena.
Many fans questioned the outcome, given that The Ring General is already a fully established star. He holds the record for the longest Intercontinental Championship reign in history, is a former two-time World Heavyweight Champion, and was the man who retired Goldberg.
For many, having The Megastar retire John Cena would have been a bigger boost to his momentum.
When asked about the fan backlash and their expectations, GUNTHER addressed it head-on during an interview with The New York Post, explaining how he actually enjoyed the mixed reactions and why he thrives on getting under people’s skin.
“I’m not bothered. I went out on RAW on Monday to send a few words towards [Cena] as the only chance I had, and I could feel that energy from the audience where it’s kind of like they don’t want me to stand there and claim that for me. But I enjoyed it. I think that’s great. That’s what I’m here for, to antagonize people. If they are antagonized, which they seem to be, then I succeeded, and I thrive off that.”
Also Read: Spoiler On Another Return At Saturday Night’s Main Event
