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John Cena Retires From the Ring After Final Tap-Out to GUNTHER

He says he chose to stop once he could no longer meet the standard, committing instead to a five-year ambassador role.

Overview

  • Cena wrestled his last match on December 13 at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, D.C., submitting to GUNTHER’s rear‑naked choke in a 25‑minute main event.
  • He reiterated he is 100 percent finished with in‑ring competition and has signed a new five‑year deal to serve WWE as an ambassador and mentor.
  • The finish drew a mixed response in the arena, including boos toward Paul “Triple H” Levesque, even as the locker room honored Cena with tributes in the ring.
  • Dwayne Johnson, The Undertaker, Lilly Singh, Varun Dhawan, and others publicly saluted Cena’s 23‑plus‑year career, while stars like Becky Lynch and R‑Truth reacted playfully and poignantly online.
  • Industry analysis frames the booking as a deliberate elevation of GUNTHER, with pressure now on WWE’s follow‑up to make the victory matter in 2026 storylines.