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John Cena's Final WWE Match vs Gunther: A Brutally Honest Look at the End of the Farewell Tour in 2025
- Marketing Admin
- 17 hours ago
- 3 min read
Let's cut the nostalgia crap right from the start—John Cena's retirement from WWE isn't some fairy-tale sendoff; it's a calculated exit for a guy who's been phoning it in between Hollywood gigs for years. Sure, the 17-time champion has etched his name in wrestling history with his "Hustle, Loyalty, Respect" mantra, but after two decades of suplexes, Attitude Adjustments, and that godawful "You Can't See Me" schtick, his final match against Gunther at Saturday Night's Main Event on December 13, 2025, feels more like a forced footnote than a grand finale. And if reports are true that this Cena vs Gunther clash is opening the show instead of headlining? That's just WWE spitting in the face of its own hype machine, prioritizing NXT spotlights over the supposed GOAT's swan song.
Cena's farewell tour kicked off with all the fanfare you'd expect—emotional speeches, viral reaction videos, and a promise of 36 dates that he originally wanted to balloon to 200, because apparently even in retirement, the man can't resist overcommitting. But let's be brutally honest: this tour has been a mixed bag at best. Highlights like his raw moments at Madison Square Garden or clashing with Randy Orton at Backlash were solid, but they've been overshadowed by criticisms from insiders, including his own father, John Cena Sr., who flat-out said Gunther "does not need the rub" and questioned why WWE didn't book a bigger name like The Rock or Stone Cold Steve Austin for the finale. Hell, even former champions have blasted the tour's direction, calling out lackluster bookings that fail to honor Cena's legacy properly. And trending searches on Bing and Google? They're flooded with "John Cena retirement tour awards," "Cena farewell tour moments," and skeptical queries like "is John Cena really retiring," because we all know wrestlers "retire" about as permanently as a bad sequel gets rebooted.
Physically, Cena's a shell of the powerhouse who debuted in 2002. At 48, the toll of countless injuries—torn pecs, neck surgeries, you name it—has turned the once-invincible Cena into a part-timer who looks gassed after a five-minute promo. His shift to acting in flops like "Peacemaker" and "Fast & Furious" spinoffs might have padded his bank account, but it diluted his in-ring presence, making this WWE retirement feel less like a choice and more like an escape from the grind. Gunther, the Ring General, is no slouch; he's a dominant force who's predicted he'll force Cena to submit in a humiliating tap-out, ending the icon's career not with a bang, but a whimper. Respect to Cena for picking an opponent he "respects," but fans polling online overwhelmingly wanted epic clashes with legends like Austin, Rock, or even Goldberg—not a mid-card elevation for the Austrian brute.
Speaking of the match itself at Washington, D.C.'s Capital One Arena, expect the usual WWE smoke and mirrors: high-stakes drama, near-falls, and Cena's signature resilience. But Gunther's chops and powerbombs could expose Cena's vulnerabilities in a way that feels too real—brutal, painful, and far from the feel-good narrative WWE's peddling. Predictions? Gunther wins clean, Cena gets a standing ovation, but whispers of a 2026 comeback will start before the credits roll. After all, "never say never" is wrestling's oldest lie.
For a taste of the buildup, check out this hype package from WWE Raw, where Gunther vows to make Cena "give up": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUFRhhPaQCI. Or relive memorable Cena moments in this compilation: https://www.wwe.com/videos/memorable-john-cena-moments-raw-highlights-dec-8-2025. It's emotional, sure, but let's not pretend Cena hasn't been coasting on nostalgia for the last few years.
In the end, John Cena's WWE farewell tour and final match vs Gunther might deliver spectacle, but it's laced with the harsh truth: legends fade, bodies break, and WWE moves on. Fans will cheer, trends like "John Cena final match highlights" will spike on Google and Bing, but deep down, this feels like a missed opportunity for something truly iconic. Cena deserves credit for his run, but retirement? It's about damn time.
