The John Cena last match against Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event represents the end of wrestling’s most controversial era. After 20 years as WWE’s top guy, the 16-time world champion steps into the ring one last time, and Wrestling Uncensored hosts Dave Simon and Genesis Johnny North aren’t holding back their brutally honest assessment of Cena’s complicated legacy.
We’ve had a long run with John Cena. Our entire adult lives, basically, have been John Cena heavy in the WWE,” Dave reflected as the reality of Cena’s retirement sinks in. “We’ve seen a lot of John Cena over the past 20 years.“
But unlike the universal reverence given to legends like Stone Cold Steve Austin or The Rock, the John Cena last match comes with a massive asterisk attached.
The Legacy Question: Does John Cena Belong on Wrestling’s Mount Rushmore?
When discussing all-time greats, Dave didn’t mince words about where Cena ranks in wrestling history. “I like John Cena. I think he’s great. He’s one of the best in a way. He’s one of the best WWE superstars of all time,” Dave acknowledged. “But he’s not the best wrestler. He’s not in the conversation of the best wrestlers of all time.“
The critical distinction? Cena excelled as a WWE-manufactured star, but never achieved the cultural transcendence of previous generations.
“People always talk about Mount Rushmore, four guys that are the pinnacle of the industry. And I don’t think Cena would even be on that,” Dave continued. “He’s important in the history of WWE for sure. But it’ll be interesting to see over the next 5, 10, 20 years what the legacy of John Cena will be.“
Johnny agreed the run “had its moments. It just lasted way too long. It wasn’t as exciting or interesting as Hogan’s run, Austin’s run, The Rock’s run.
Dave even suggested modern stars have already surpassed Cena’s impact: “I would even say that Roman’s run and Cody’s run have been more interesting.“
That’s a devastating assessment for someone who held the WWE Championship 16 times and served as the company’s face for nearly two decades.
Why WWE Chose Gunther: The Ring General Gets Wrestling’s Ultimate Retirement Job
The choice of Gunther as Cena‘s last opponent is WWE’s masterclass in storytelling logic. The reigning Intercontinental Champion represents everything Cena never was—a legitimate in-ring technician who earns respect through pure wrestling ability rather than catchphrases and merchandising dominance.
“Gunther is the most dominant wrestler of this generation,” the hosts noted throughout the show, establishing exactly why he’s the perfect foil for Cena’s farewell.
For WWE, putting Gunther over in John Cena’s last match would cement The Ring General as the company’s next monster heel while giving Cena the prestigious send-off of losing to wrestling’s future. It’s the same formula that worked when Shawn Michaels retired Ric Flair—the torch pass disguised as one last competitive match.
But does Cena deserve that prestige match ending?
The Work Ethic No One Can Deny
What Cena earned universal respect for was his legendary durability and company loyalty. Dave broke down exactly how Cena outlasted his contemporaries to become WWE’s guy:
“Randy Orton has had a fine career. But the WWE wanted Randy Orton to be the guy, to be who John Cena turned out to be. But Randy Orton did not have the work ethic, the discipline, the maturity to do it. And John Cena did.“
The pattern repeated with Batista, who “had way too many injuries” and was “in his late 30s when he really got going” while “Cena was still young.“
Johnny emphasized Cena’s freakish recovery ability: “Cena, I’m sure, was hurt a lot, too. And you saw he basically had to break his neck a couple of times or pop his shoulder out for him not to be there. And he still miraculously came back quicker than most people would.“
Dave detailed Cena’s professional discipline: “Very tough, very durable, able to get hurt, stick to a rigorous rehab schedule, never do drugs either. This is a guy who never failed any kind of wellness test.“
The result? “Very dependable. Whenever something went wrong, whenever something happened with their champion, just give it back to Cena. Because Cena could right the ship.“
That reliability made Cena invaluable to WWE, even if it made him creatively stale to hardcore fans.
Saturday Night’s Main Event: More Than Just Cena’s Goodbye
While John Cena’s last match anchors the card, Saturday Night’s Main Event delivers several other significant bouts that Wrestling Uncensored broke down:
Champion vs. Champion Shock Match: Cody Rhodes defending against NXT’s Oba Femi represents WWE’s new strategy of elevating NXT stars to the main roster through high-profile crossover matches. The match wasn’t even announced until SmackDown’s final segment, creating legitimate buzz through surprise booking.
TNA/NXT Invasion: The crossover tag match featuring AJ Styles and Leon Slater continues WWE’s partnership with TNA, giving indie darlings exposure on WWE’s biggest stage while adding fresh matchups to the card.
The Real Stakes: For Gunther, winning John Cena’s last match could be the launching pad to challenge for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. For Cena, it’s about whether he gets the storybook ending or the brutal reality check that his time truly has passed.
AEW Winter is Coming: Continental Classic Chaos
The show also covered AEW’s Winter is Coming fallout, particularly the Samoa Joe vs. Eddie Kingston World Title match and the updated Continental Classic standings.
“Is Kazuchika Okada unstoppable in the Gold League?” the hosts questioned, tracking the tournament’s momentum as multiple wrestlers jockey for position in the round-robin format.
The Continental Classic serves as AEW’s answer to WWE’s tournament booking, creating weekly stakes and storyline progression that keeps fans engaged beyond just the weekly episodic content.
The Uncomfortable Truth About the John Cena Last Match
Here’s what Wrestling Uncensored understands that corporate WWE coverage won’t say: the John Cena last match doesn’t carry the emotional weight of previous legends because his run never reached their heights.
“Are people going to be talking about John Cena 20 years from now and reminiscing about John Cena? Maybe. Maybe. But he definitely did not have the same impact as those guys,” Dave assessed with brutal honesty.
Compare Cena’s farewell to Stone Cold’s retirement or The Rock’s Hollywood transition—those felt like genuine cultural moments. Cena’s finale feels more like an overdue acknowledgment that his prime ended years ago.
“It’s hard to have the same impact as a Stone Cold or a Hogan,” Dave noted, essentially admitting what many fans felt throughout Cena’s run: he was WWE’s guy by default during a down period for the business, not because he revolutionized wrestling.
John Cena Last Match Prediction: Can He Beat The Ring General?
Throughout the episode, Dave and Johnny weighed Cena’s chances against Gunther’s dominance. The consensus? Gunther should win, but WWE loves giving legends their storybook moments.
The real question isn’t who wins the John Cena last match—it’s whether WWE values protecting Gunther’s monster heel status more than giving Cena one last championship-worthy performance.
For a company that built two decades around Cena winning when he shouldn’t, don’t be shocked if “You Can’t See Me” happens one more time.
Join Wrestling Uncensored LIVE every Friday at 10 PM ET as Dave Simon and Genesis Johnny North break down WWE, AEW, and everything happening in professional wrestling: no corporate filter, just honest analysis from people who actually understand the business.
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