John Cena ends WWE career with Gunther loss, emotional reactions from fellow wrestlers

John Cena officially retired from professional wrestling after his final match at WWE Main Event on Saturday night. Facing Gunther, Cena struggled in the ring but ultimately tapped out following a sleeper hold, ending his active WWE career. Despite his loss, the crowd gave him a standing ovation as he sat in the ring, taking in the moment.

After the bout, fellow wrestlers, including CM Punk and Cody Rhodes, celebrated Cena’s career by presenting him their title belts. The WWE locker room cleared out, cheering him on, as Cena took one last salute to the fans before walking up the ramp and heading to the locker room.

The emotional impact of Cena’s farewell was particularly visible on Rhodes, the current Undisputed WWE Champion. During a post-match interview with Jackie Redmond, Rhodes struggled to hold back tears. “You really do not want it to end when it is that amazing,” he said. “I know that's vague, but he did everything by the book and taught so many people and set such a high standard, such a high bar. I'm not trying to get emotional on his night, but just take a moment and think about those sneakers and the man who filled those and what he was able to do.”

Rhodes admitted mixed feelings about the match, saying he was happy with the outcome but also saddened by the end of Cena’s active career.

Throughout 2025, Cena and Rhodes had one of the year’s most prominent rivalries, clashing in main events at SummerSlam and WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas. Cena became a 17-time world champion following his WrestleMania win, while Rhodes reclaimed the title at SummerSlam. Cena continued his farewell tour by defeating AJ Styles, Logan Paul, and Dominik Mysterio over the rest of the year.

Earlier on Saturday night, Rhodes faced NXT Champion Oba Femi in a champion-versus-champion bout that ended in a no-contest due to interference from Drew McIntyre.

Cena has confirmed that his Main Event match against Gunther will be his last, marking the end of a celebrated WWE career that set a high benchmark for generations of wrestlers. The farewell highlighted not just his achievements in the ring but also his influence on peers and the wrestling industry.