Back in July 2024, John Cena found himself at the center of the wrestling universe during the Money in the Bank event. There, he made a significant announcement: 2025 would mark his final year in the ring. This declaration signaled the impending end of an era, as the WWE prepared to bid farewell to one of its most illustrious champions. At that moment, the future seemed distant. Yet, here we are, 18 months later, at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, D.C., where the reality of Cena’s departure has finally arrived.
In anticipation of Cena’s swan song, WWE orchestrated a thrilling tournament to decide who would stand as his final opponent. While the choice may have seemed somewhat predictable, it was nonetheless exciting to see Gunther rise as the contender. Gunther, representing the opposite end of the wrestling spectrum from the 17-time world champion, now had the chance to challenge Cena and possibly retire a second iconic figure within the same year.
True to form, Cena ensured the evening was about more than just his own legacy. He turned the spotlight onto the future stars of WWE, featuring the likes of Oba Femi, Je’Von Evans, Leon Slater, and Sol Ruca in prominent matches. These emerging talents seized the moment, delivering performances that suggested a bright future for the sport.
The event unfolded as a rollercoaster of emotions, offering fans a rare and poignant opportunity to honor a living legend while he still commanded the spotlight. It was a wild, unforgettable night that celebrated Cena’s storied career and hinted at the potential of the next generation.
For those unfamiliar with Oba Femi before Saturday Night’s Main Event, his performance provided a glimpse of why WWE holds him in high regard. With his commanding presence and raw power, Femi demonstrated his ability to match up with the best, despite having just two years of television experience under his belt. His potential is undeniable.
Oba Femi Holds His Own Amid DQ Finish
On this particular night, Femi faced off against Cody Rhodes in a high-stakes match that offered him a prime opportunity to showcase his skills. With a broader audience watching, Femi aimed to prove he’s destined to become a marquee name in the wrestling world.
But on this evening, Femi went head to head with the current guy, Cody Rhodes, in an amazing opportunity to showcase what he can do on a stage where more than just your average WWE fan will be watching.
And Femi held his own. He was powerful, went move for move, and was very over with the D.C. crowd. He didn’t look a step slow and the moment didn’t seem out of place.
The only curveball was when Femi threw Rhodes over the announcer’s desk, legitimately busting open the WWE Champion’s ear, and 2025 has definitely been the year of the ear for him. Blood gushed from the side of Rhodes’ head as he continued on in the match in the ring for another few minutes.
That was until WWE pulled the rug out from underneath this match and Drew McIntyre interfered to cause a disqualification, something that probably should’ve been seen coming since Rhodes nor Femi could really afford a loss on this big stage. That doesn’t mean it’s a justified finish and more so an indication of WWE booking themselves into a corner with the finish if they didn’t feel comfortable with either man losing.
Femi went toe to toe with McIntyre afterward, though, since it was logical for him to be annoyed with having his opportunity squandered. And the NXT Champion did not look out of place doing this either, and it sets up a readymade feud for whenever he gets to the main roster full-time, with someone as pedigreed and with the stature of the Scotsman.
So overall, a successful match and segment for the rising star, albeit with a lackluster ending, but an overall feeling of wanting more.
Sol Ruca Snatches The Spotlight
Sol Ruca was arguably the least mainstream of the four young stars competing at Saturday Night’s Main Event, which created a perfect opportunity for the NXT standout to introduce herself to a broader audience against one of WWE’s top veterans, Bayley.
Among the NXT showcase matches, this one felt the most true to its purpose. It allowed Ruca to highlight the athleticism that makes her unique, from the clean back handspring over the ropes onto Bayley to a spectacular DDT and her Soul Snatcher finisher, which remains one of the most eye-catching finishing moves in WWE today.
For the most part, Bayley took a backseat in this match, which felt intentional and appropriate. She served as the ideal foil, allowing Ruca to shine, particularly given their contrasting styles. The approach paid off, as Ruca went from a mild reaction during her entrance to being fully over with the crowd by the end.
This was simply great business for what the match was designed to accomplish. Ruca should be on the main roster sometime in early 2026.
A High-Speed Showcase of WWE’s Present and Future
This was a fast-paced, car-crash style match that went 100 miles per hour from the opening bell, which is exactly the style Je’Von Evans and Leon Slater bring. Both are spectacular high-flyers at just 21 years old, and neither ever shrinks from the moment when placed in these big spots. Slater earned his opportunity at NXT Deadline, while Evans has already fought Gunther at Madison Square Garden and faced, and defeated, The Miz on SmackDown just one night earlier.
AJ Styles held up well alongside the younger high-flyers, and Dragon Lee has enjoyed a strong spotlight over the past few months working with The Phenomenal One. This felt like the perfect stage for Lee to shine under the bright lights on Saturday night.
Styles may very well be the next major name nearing retirement, having previously said that 2026 could be his final year. That made his presence on this show feel fitting, especially given his history as one of John Cena’s greatest rivals.
20 years Later, John Cena Finally Gives Up
Not for 20 years had John Cena actually tapped out or given up. “Never Give Up” was stitched onto his gear from the moment that slogan defined him to his final match on Saturday night. So WWE put him in the ring with the ultimate foil, a man who does not make people quit so much as break them down piece by piece: Gunther.
For the next half hour, Cena took fans on an emotional ride, delivering his final Attitude Adjustments, including an avalanche version that Michael Cole even referred to by its original name deep into the match, along with the last Five Knuckle Shuffles of his career. In between, he was chopped, elbowed, and brutalized by The Ring General for most of the bout, steadily worn down the same way Gunther has dismantled every opponent he’s faced.
And for most of it, Cena fought through. It was expert storytelling, showing resilience, survival, and a man clinging to the moniker that had defined his entire career while his body slowly betrayed him.
Then came the final act. Cena and Gunther traded Attitude Adjustment attempts for sleeper holds, with each one lasting longer than the last. Over the final five minutes, the 17-time world champion could barely stay conscious.
Before cutting to the finish, it’s worth noting this was the crowd WWE always wanted for Cena. They booed the villain relentlessly, chanted “don’t give up” in unison, and gave Cena full, unwavering support in a way he never truly received during his prime. It took 20 years to get here, and it was the perfect atmosphere for a John Cena match. If only the booking had allowed for this dynamic earlier in his career.
But back to the match. Cena flashed a brief smirk and gently tapped out. Watching at home, you almost had to do a double take. It’s simply not an image fans are conditioned to see: John Cena, after all these years, tapping out and giving up. The smile felt deliberate, almost reflective, reminiscent of Don Draper in the final season of Mad Men. He felt ready to move on.
You could hear a pin drop.
Cena lay on his back and put over a rising star on his way out, and the crowd despised it. Truly despised it.
Going into the match, there were only two outcomes: Cena staying true to “Never Give Up” or finally abandoning it. Traditionally, the retiring wrestler puts someone over on the way out, no matter how beloved they are. But the crowd wanted no part of that logic. And frankly, it’s fair to question whether it was the right call when you had a molten-hot audience that paid a premium to see Cena win one last time.
What complicates that debate is something we may never know: whether this was Cena’s decision. If he wanted to go out this way, the discussion largely ends there. But that may never be made public, and that uncertainty lingers.
Still, viewed purely through a storytelling lens, this was ultimately the right ending. It tells the story of Cena aging out, no longer able to push that final mile against a younger generation. That reality is the reason partially the reason he’s stepping away. It isn’t popular, but it works, and it cements Gunther as this era’s definitive legend killer.
The crowd, however, was having none of it. Expletive-filled chants echoed through the arena as WWE executives and top stars came down to the ring. Triple H, in particular, was booed relentlessly whenever the camera found him. The message was clear. The crowd wanted Cena to win.
One of the more memorable post-match moments came when Cody Rhodes and CM Punk handed Cena the WWE Championship and World Heavyweight Championship, giving him the chance to hold both titles one final time as he paraded around the ring.
The video montage that played before he exited the ring was also a nice touch, serving as a heartfelt tribute and a final walk through a career that defined an era.
Cena then left his shoes and armbands in the ring, walked up the ramp, and said goodbye.
It was a sad ending to the match but a fitting sendoff. It wasn’t a picture-perfect, happy-go-lucky conclusion, but one that felt representative of what Cena wanted this moment to be: less about himself and more about the future of the industry. And with that being the case for the past month, should the way this ended really have come as a surprise?
