GUNTHER Breaks Silence After Fans Complain About Him Being Chosen as John Cena’s Final Opponent
John Cena’s farewell match is almost here, and WWE fans are fired up—especially after GUNTHER was officially selected as the man who will retire the 16-time World Champion.
GUNTHER earned the spot by winning The Last Time Is Now tournament, defeating LA Knight in the finals. But many fans weren’t happy with the outcome. Since The Ring General is already one of WWE’s most dominant stars, the belief online was that LA Knight—who’s still climbing even higher in popularity—would’ve benefited more from sending Cena into retirement.
After all, GUNTHER already has a stacked resume:
- Longest Intercontinental Title reign in history
- Two-time World Heavyweight Champion
- The man who retired Goldberg
So when fans began expressing frustration, GUNTHER didn’t hide from the criticism. Instead, he embraced it.
Speaking to The New York Post, he explained why the negative reactions actually motivate him:
“I’m not bothered at all. When I spoke about Cena on RAW, I could feel the crowd didn’t want me taking that moment. But I enjoyed it. That’s what I’m here for—to antagonize people. If they’re upset, then I’ve already succeeded. I thrive off that.”
Saturday Night’s Main Event Set for Major Change Ahead of Cena’s Final Match
Tomorrow’s episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event—live from the Capital One Arena in Washington D.C.—will be historic. Not only is it the final SNME of 2025, but it will also feature John Cena’s last-ever WWE match against GUNTHER.
Since the show returned last year, it has leaned heavily on an old-school, retro presentation. But according to WrestleVotes Radio via Fightful Select, WWE plans to switch things up this weekend. The show is expected to debut a more modern, Premium Live Event–style look, moving away from its nostalgic theme.
It’s not yet clear if this new look is permanent or just for Cena’s grand farewell.
Along with Cena vs. GUNTHER, the stacked lineup includes:
- Cody Rhodes (Undisputed WWE Champion) vs Oba Femi (NXT Champion)
- Bayley vs. Sol Ruca
- AJ Styles & Dragon Lee defending the World Tag Team Titles against Je’Von Evans & Leon Slater
Saturday night is shaping up to be emotional, unpredictable, and one of the biggest nights WWE has delivered all year.
