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Tag: WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event

  • Becky Lynch Clarifies Status of Her SNME Match

    Becky Lynch Clarifies Status of Her SNME Match

    Becky Lynch has made things clear.

    The Women’s IC Champion had laid out a challenge for Sol Ruca on this week’s episode of Raw. She had offered the WWE rookie a match at the upcoming Saturday Night’s Main Event.

    While The Man had emphasized that the bout will be a non-title match, the company had been promoting it as a championship encounter, confusing the fans.

    Becky Lynch Responds

    The champ herself addressed this confusion on X on Wednesday. Becky Lynch called out the misinformation regarding her upcoming bout, and once again mentioned that Sol Ruca will have to earn a shot at her title:

    “There seems to be misinformation regarding my Saturday Nights Main Event match! (The biased wrestling media is pushing the agenda that the title should be on the line!!) NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!!!!

    I CLEARLY stated that SUCKER Sol Ruca has done NOTHING to earn a shot at MY VERY PRESTIGIOUS IC TITLE!! We will see if she can hang with the GREATEST female wrestler of all time. A LOT of people don’t think she will, but we will see!! Thank you for your attention on this matter.”

    The May 23, 2026, edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event will be taking place from Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. You can check out the final card for the show here.

  • New Matches Set For WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event

    New Matches Set For WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event

    Two matches have been added to Saturday Night’s Main Event, with Becky Lynch vs. Sol Ruca and a WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match both confirmed for the May 23 card.

    On Monday’s Raw, Lynch interrupted a Sol Ruca interview and pointed out that Ruca has not picked up a win since arriving on the main roster. Ruca headed to the ring and called Lynch out, challenging her to a match on the spot. Lynch countered by offering Saturday Night’s Main Event instead. Ruca attempted to make it a Women’s Intercontinental Championship match, but Lynch declined, keeping the bout a non-title contest.

    Ruca debuted on the main roster following WrestleMania 42, falling in her debut against Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan due to interference from her former NXT tag team partner Zaria. She came up short again last week, losing to IYO SKY when Sky reversed the Sol Snatcher into a crucifix pin.

    Women’s Tag Team Champions Brie Bella and Paige will also defend their titles against Nia Jax and Lash Legend.

    The full Saturday Night’s Main Event lineup is as follows:

    • WWE Intercontinental Championship: Penta (c) vs. Ethan Page
    • WWE World Tag Team Championship: The Vision (c) vs. The Street Profits
    • WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Brie Bella and Paige (c) vs. Nia Jax and Lash Legend
    • Non-Title: Becky Lynch vs. Sol Ruca
    • Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss vs. Jade Cargill, B-Fab, and Michin
  • New Match Set For WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event

    New Match Set For WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event

    Rhea Ripley has been added to WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, teaming with Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair against Jade Cargill, B-Fab, and Michin on May 23.

    The match was set up on this week’s SmackDown when Cargill’s group attacked Flair and Bliss following a tag team match. WWE confirmed Ripley as the third member of their team shortly after.

    Saturday Night’s Main Event takes place May 23 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The updated lineup is as follows:

    • WWE Intercontinental Title: Penta (c) vs. Ethan Page
    • WWE World Tag Team Championship: The Vision (Logan Paul & Austin Theory) (c) vs. The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford)
    • Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair, and Rhea Ripley vs. Jade Cargill, B-Fab, and Michin

  • WWE Saturday Night\’s Main Event Scheduled for May

    WWE is reportedly set to hold the next Saturday Night\’s Main Event special on May 23rd, 2026, and WWE is considering bringing the show to Nashville, Tennessee. Nashville has previously hosted major WWE events, including SummerSlam 2022 at Nissan Stadium.

    The event follows the January 24th, 2026 edition of SNME at Bell Centre in Montreal, which featured Sami Zayn vs. Randy Orton vs. Damian Priest vs. Trick Williams to determine the #1 contender for the Undisputed WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble. Last December\’s show was also headlined by John Cena\’s final match.

    WWE Saturday Night\’s Main Event Returns

    WrestleVotes, via Fightful Select, announced:

    \”The next edition of WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event is on the books for May.\”

    Saturday Night Main Event specials have been held quarterly on Peacock. WrestleVotes Radio also reported that four Saturday Night\’s Main Event shows are scheduled for 2026, one less than last year.

  • John Cena Reveals Real Meaning Behind Ending of Gunther Match

    John Cena has explained the ending of his last match.

    The Cenation Leader\’s retirement match with Gunther was built around whether or not the Ring General will be able to submit his opponent. The final minutes of the bout saw Cena struggling to get away from the sleeper hold as the former NXT star locked it in again and again. In the end, John decided that he\’d done enough, and the WWE legend smiled before finally ending his career with a soft tap out.

    The 17-time world champion explained the meaning behind the whole sequence while appearing on Cody Rhodes\’ podcast. John Cena mentioned that everyone he loved was in the front row for the match, and he knew that his colleagues were watching backstage. To him, the ending was about saying goodbye in the same way someone on his deathbed does:

    \”As I essentially take my last breath, I have struggled. If you think of somebody, the natural causes scenario or however we picture loss in our life, all of us have been through it. They struggle. They hang on just long enough to make sure to say goodbye to everybody that’s been meaningful in their lives.\”

    Going Peacefully: John Cena

    John Cena discussed how the whole day was very emotional with all the people who meant something in his life interacting with him. The ending signified that he was able to let his career go peacefully after saying thank you:

    \”And that whole day was so many unbelievably vulnerable, meaningful conversations. And then you realize, I’ve connected with everybody I love. Physically, I feel great. I think it’s time to take that last breath. And that’s that.

    I hate to keep going back morbidly to obituaries, but like… this person died peacefully. And knowing that like, man, we are in a good place. We’re going to be great going forward. The bottom of the t-shirt says ‘I gave everything, thank you for everything.’ And in that one moment, that was that. Going peacefully.”

    The 17-time world champion ended his 26-year-long career with over 2300 matches. Latest reports suggest that WWE is working on a new documentary about his retirement. You can check out more about it here.

  • RVD Shares One Disappointment With John Cena\’s Final Match

    RVD has revealed his thoughts on John Cena\’s final match.

    Fans were not happy with the Cenation Leader tapping out to Gunther in his final match at Saturday Night\’s Main Event. They expressed displeasure with the booking by booing the WWE creative head Triple H when he came out at the show after the bout and again during the SNME post-show.

    During a recent interview with Inside the Ring podcast, RVD revealed his thoughts on Cena\’s final match. Mr. Monday Night claimed that he expected his former rival to end his career in this way. The one thing that disappointed him, however, was the length of the bout:

    “I expected it, I guess. I was just kinda bummed that it was over and so final at that moment, there’s no going back. They rang the bell, that match is over.

    It’s just like, you know it’s coming but it doesn’t make that moment any more enjoyable or whatever. I kind of was disappointed just cause I would’ve liked it to go another 20 minutes, I was having fun. Otherwise, I kind of expected that to happen.”

    The ECW legend also discussed how he felt about being invited to attend the show. RVD said that he didn\’t realize how loud the crowd reaction for him in the arena was until he started receiving messages about it. He noted that the whole experience was really awesome.

    John Cena has already been announced for his first post-retirement appearance at Fan Expo New Orleans in January 2026. Though it\’s not the only thing as Cody Rhodes has also started teasing a collab with the 17-time world champion. You can check out more about it here.

  • CM Punk Reveals If He Has Planned His Retirement

    CM Punk is going to stick around for a while.

    The current WWE World Champion appeared on the Saturday Night\’s Main Event post-show to talk about John Cena\’s retirement. The 47-year-old has said many times during Cena\’s retirement tour that he is on the same road as his longtime opponent, without a set date for retirement.

    So Big E asked Punk if he has any ideas for his retirement, or if he would like it to be similar to his arch-rival. The Straight Edge star, however, said that he does not have an answer right now:

    “I don’t got an answer for you, E, you know. When I make allusions to the end of whatever my career is gonna look like, it’s not because I feel like I’m there. It’s just because I look back at the entirety of my career, and there is a lot more road behind me than there is ahead of me.\”

    I\’m Not Going Anywhere: CM Punk

    Though CM Punk confirmed that he is not looking to retire anytime soon. He claimed that he is champion for a reason and he is not going anywhere:

    \”Trust me, I am the champion for a reason. I am here to stay, and nobody’s gonna change that. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. Sorry if that disappoints some….actually, I’m not sorry. The hell with you. That upsets you, I’m glad.”

    During the talk, CM Punk also explained his gesture of putting the World title on John Cena after his SNME match. You can check out what Punk said about it here.

  • John Cena Moved To WWE Alumni After Retirement Match

    The end of John Cena\’s career has been made official.

    The Cenation Leader entered the ring as an active performer for one final match at Saturday Night\’s Main Event, squaring off against Gunther in his last outing.

    The WWE legend showed the super Cena side of him for one last time, delivering multiple AAs to his opponent from various spots and staying in the bout despite taking much punishment.

    In the end, however, John Cena passed on the last bit of momentum he had left. He smiled and tapped out to a sleeper hold from the Ring General, putting an end to one of the most legendary careers in all of sports.

    The End of An Era

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    The company made the end of his in-ring career official after Saturday Night\’s Main Event by moving his profile on their official website to the alumni section.

    Though John Cena himself revealed earlier this week that he has signed a new 5-year deal with WWE to continue working as an ambassador for the promotion.

    The whole locker room came out to pay tribute to the 17-time world champion after his loss. Both Cody Rhodes and CM Punk put their titles on him in an emotional gesture. You can check out what the latter said about this moment in the SNME post-show here.

  • Emotional Cody Rhodes Reflects On John Cena\’s Career

    Cody Rhodes has reflected on John Cena\’s final match.

    The American Nightmare remained at the ringside at Saturday Night\’s Main Event long after every other talent had left the arena. A visibly emotional Rhodes was approached by Jackie Redmond at the SNME post show when he was still trying to come to terms with Cena\’s retirement, looking at the boots left by him in the ring.

    The Undisputed WWE Champion was asked what the night meant for him. At first, he had trouble forming his thoughts but Cody went on to explain how it was a special night where even the fans did not want to chant \’Cena Sucks\’ like they\’ve always done:

    \”It\’s really hard to describe in a sense, of all the positives that he brought to our industry and leaving it better than he found it. Wrestling is…there\’s a way it ends, you know? And he did everything right, by the book. It\’s just still like, when it\’s that good, you don\’t want it to end. 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 more than anything, just, you know, take a moment and think about those sneakers and, the Pump UPS before that, and the man who filled those and what he was able to do. Through good times, through bad times. Tonight, everyone just chanting, \’Let\’s go Cena.\’ Not \’Let\’s go Cena, Cena sucks\’ in the house. Just, \’Let\’s go Cena.\’ It\’s just, it\’s everything.\”

    Can Only Hope To Have Something Like That: Cody Rhodes

    Cody Rhodes said that there will never be another John Cena who did things his own way. The AEW co-founder explained that the 17-time world champion left a very high bar to shoot for stars to come and claimed that he was honored to be part of this night:

    \”I\’m so happy it happened. It\’s a great, great arena with great wrestling history, and I\’m so sad it happened too, right? You know, Triple H had called me and asked me if I would be part of Saturday Night\’s Main Event. And always, wrestlers act like \’Oh, that\’s such a big ask.\’ Are you kidding? To be part of John Cena\’s final show, to be able to bask in this glory and this house? There\’s a number, I\’m sure Triple H is reading it right now somewhere. The amount of sellouts, the amount of things John did.

    I know that sounds really material, but John led with his heart, and John also led with his mind. He was a businessman, and he was trained by businessmen, and he trained us to be businessmen. So for [him] to go out here where you got 19,000 people, whatever it was, and not a soul leaves until he leaves. That\’s a sign of a not a good career, a great career. We can only hope to have something like that. Really hats off to the greatest of all time.\”

  • CM Punk Explains Putting His Title On John Cena At SNME

    CM Punk has explained his tribute to John Cena at Saturday Night\’s Main Event.

    The Straight Edge Star and Cody Rhodes were the two names who joined the Cenation Leader in the ring after his retirement match at tonight\’s show. Both the WWE champions put their titles on the retiring star in the moment and prompted him to celebrate with the belt one last time before leaving the ring.

    During his appearance on the SNME post show, Punk was asked about this unique tribute. He first discussed the start of his relationship with Cena when he arrived in WWE:

    “Not deserved, but earned. I feel like me and Cody are two guys who came in when John was first getting on top, and you play follow the leader to an extent. There’s a lot of alpha personalities. There’s people who think they know what they’re doing, and I was always looked at as the indie guy. And maybe John even looked at me like that when I first got here,\”

    • Watch: Triple H Booed After John Cena Taps Out In Final Match

    He\’s Earned It: CM Punk

    CM Punk then explained that he slowly earned his main event status in the company and John Cena was one of the guys who helped him get there. According to the former AEW star, the 17-time world champion earned his tribute tonight:

    \”But you know, you can be so good and so consistent for years that it turns heads, and me and John became soulmates. So, I think I’m in the position, currently, certainly not because of anything I did, or you know, maybe a fraction, but John’s definitely one of the guys that helped Punk get to his level, so to speak, so yeah, put the straps on his shoulders because he’s earned it.”

  • Triple H Defends John Cena Tapping Out At SNME

    Triple H has explained the Saturday Night\’s Main Event finish.

    The WWE creative head was booed loudly when he came out at tonight\’s WWE show after John Cena tapped out to Gunther in his final match. People continued to express their opinions with various chants when The Game made an appearance at the SNME post-show.

    Just like at the show, however, the WWE Executive was in good spirit. He first joked how he thought the chants would be louder, before explaining the finish to Cena\’s retirement match:

    “There are time-honoured traditions in our business, and there are ways you handle your business. John has said the right thing his entire career, that it’s about leaving this place better than you found it. I think that there is no way for people to understand that in the moment. But you do what is right for the business.

    You do what is right for the industry. John has done that his entire career. I’m gonna do that my entire career, where I will do what I believe is right for this business. It just is what it is. I understand that is tough for people to understand. But It’s part of what we do. That is the role we have chosen.\”

    I\’ve Got Big Shoulders: Triple H

    Triple H was then asked if he ever considered a different finish to the bout. The former World Champion claimed that people will realize it\’s the right thing to do if you take the emotion out of it:

    “If you were to say, ‘What will Cena do on his way out?’ Take the emotion out of it and ask people, ‘What would John Cena do?’ I’m not talking about the character. His entire career, sum that all up and say, ‘What will he do on the way out?’

    If you want to talk behind the scenes. He will put over somebody on the way out. He will leave this better than he found it. He will go into the ring and he will make somebody on his way out. That’s what John does. That\’s what John has always done. I know people will criticize this. People will look at it and people will talk about this moment right here. I’ve got big shoulders, I’m good with it.”

  • Watch: Triple H Booed After John Cena Taps Out In Final Match

    The fans were not happy with the finish to John Cena\’s final match at Saturday Night\’s Main Event.

    The final match of the latest WWE show was built around the Cenation Leader\’s Never Give Up attitude and whether Gunther will be able to make the wrestling veteran tap in his last match.

    The Last Real Champion showed his super Cena side one last time in the bout, delivering multiple AAs to the Ring General and staying in the match after taking much offence.

    As expected, however, it was Gunther who picked up the victory in the end. After a prolonged sequence that saw the former NXT star locking the sleeper hold on his opponent again and again, John Cena finally smiled and tapped out to end his career.

    This was only the fifth time the wrestling legend had ever tapped out in his career. Fans vocalised their displeasure with the finish with \’bullshit\’ chants right after the bell.

    Triple H led the locker room to the ringside after the match, and he stood on the apron to hug John Cena towards the ending of the show. Fans booed the WWE Creative Head loudly on both occasions, though The Game was not fazed by this reaction:

    Cena went on to have a beautiful farewell, including WWE\’s both World Champions CM Punk and Cody Rhodes, before he exited the arena. You can check out everything that happened after John Cena\’s final match here.

  • Watch: Everything That Happened With John Cena After Retirement Match

    A farewell for the ages.

    John Cena said goodbye to the WWE ring in the most emotional way possible, by smiling and tapping out to Gunther in his retirement match at Saturday Night\’s Main Event.

    The Ring General departed the ring after getting the job done, leaving the Cenation Leader to absorb the energy of the crowd for one last time. The Last Real Champion first kissed the mat before getting up to greet the crowd.

    As Cena was bowing to the fans in all corners, the locker room emptied. Led by Triple H and the two world champions, everyone gathered at the ringside to celebrate the ultimate WWE superstar one last time.

    Both World Champion CM Punk and WWE Champion Cody Rhodes got in the ring and handed Cena their title belts after an exchange of words, urging him to pose with the championships one last time.

    The fans booed Triple H for the finish as the 17-time world champion hugged The Game at the ring apron, though the WWE creative head was all smiles.

    John Cena finally showed his gratitude to the crowd by bowing to the fans all around the arena. The GOAT then made his retirement official by leaving his boots and pads in the ring.

    The wrestling legend finally exited the ring to a thunderous applause and made his way up to the ramp. He took the crowd in one last time and did his signature salute before slowly walking out of the arena, ending his career.

  • John Cena\’s Final Match Results (Saturday Night\’s Main Event)

    John Cena\’s Final Match is streaming live from the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. as part of Saturday Night\’s Main Event. This page will be updated with results throughout the night.

    After 26 years, over 650 Make-A-Wish visits, and a record 17 world championship reigns, John Cena steps into the ring for the final time tonight.

    Saturday Night\’s Main Event Results

    WWE Champion Cody Rhodes defeats NXT Champion Oba Femi by disqualification when Drew McIntyre interfered and attacked Cody

    The opening minutes saw both competitors feeling each other out before Femi seized control with a devastating Irish Curse backbreaker. When Cody attempted a slam after being launched across the ring, he couldn’t muster the strength, allowing Femi to continue his assault.

    The tide turned when Cody sidestepped a charging Femi, sending him crashing into the ring post. A Cody Cutter followed, though Femi kicked out. Rhodes used his quickness to mount offense, but Femi halted his momentum with a thunderous spinebuster. The action spilled outside where Femi launched Cody over the announce desk with a vicious uppercut, leaving the champion bleeding near his ear.

    Cody battled back with a top-rope cutter, but again Femi survived. Drew McIntyre then stormed the ring and attacked Cody, triggering a disqualification. When Femi shoved McIntyre down, Cody connected with a cutter before Femi planted the Scotsman with a chokeslam. With the ring cleared, Cody raised Femi’s hand as the two held each other’s championships aloft.

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    https://x.com/wwe/status/2000014305832349841?s=46

    Sol Ruca defeated Bayley by pinfall.

    The finish came when Bayley attempted a victory roll for a near fall, but Sol Ruca reversed it for the pinfall victory. After the match, Sol offered her hand and Bayley shook it, with everyone raising their hands in the ring.

    Bayley nearly won when she countered the Sol Snatcher with a Rose Plant, but she rolled up Ruca too far, allowing the NXT standout to get her foot on the ropes. The finish came quickly after that — Sol got her knees up to counter a big elbow attempt from Bayley, hit the Sol Snatcher on her second attempt, and then countered a Bayley pin with a rollup of her own for the victory.

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    https://x.com/wwe/status/2000020689948967260?s=46

    AJ Styles & Dragon Lee (c) defeated Je’Von Evans & Leon Slater

    Evans and Slater went right after Styles and Lee with superkicks, followed by dives to the outside. Back in the ring, Evans went for an early victory with a frog splash, but Lee kicked out. Lee came back with a sit-down powerbomb and tagged out to Styles.

    After all four men battled on the outside, Lee was sent into the ring post. Back in the ring, Evans hit the OG Cutter on Styles, and Slater delivered a Swanton 450, but Lee was able to break up the pin attempt.

    After Lee took out Evans on the outside with a dive, Styles went for the Phenomenal Forearm but slipped on the top rope. Slater came off the top rope, but Styles caught him and delivered the Styles Clash to pick up the win.

    All four men did John Cena’s salute after the match.

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    https://x.com/wwe/status/2000027295885455849?s=46

    Gunther defeated John Cena via submission in Cena’s final match

    During his entrance, Cena embraced several wrestlers at ringside, including Trish Stratus, Sami Zayn, Rob Van Dam, Kurt Angle, Mark Henry, Booker T, Elias, and Kevin Owens.

    Gunther gained the early advantage, drawing chants of “asshole” and “f*ck you, Gunther” from the crowd. After a few minutes, Cena was able to build momentum with his signature offense. However, when Cena went for the AA, Gunther countered with a German suplex. Cena came back with the STF, but Gunther escaped.

    Gunther regained the advantage with a powerbomb. He then took down Cena with multiple lariats, prompting the crowd to start a “Super Cena” chant. Cena mounted a comeback with another series of signature moves, followed by the AA, but Gunther kicked out.

    After the fight spilled to the outside, Gunther set up the steel steps by the announce desk. Gunther went for a powerbomb, but Cena countered with an AA through the table. Cena got Gunther back in the ring and went for a cover, but Gunther kicked out.

    Cena delivered a top-rope leg drop, but Gunther kicked out again. Cena led the crowd in one last “You Can’t See Me,” but Gunther popped up with a big boot. Gunther delivered a powerbomb, but Cena kicked out. Gunther then went up top, but Cena caught him and delivered a Super AA—yet Gunther kicked out once again.

    After they traded blows, Gunther hit another powerbomb followed by a frog splash, but Cena was still able to kick out. Gunther applied another sleeper, and Cena kept trying to fight out but began to lose strength. Cena momentarily escaped, but Gunther reapplied the sleeper. Cena escaped again and hit another AA, but Gunther once again kicked out. Gunther immediately applied the sleeper again. The crowd chanted “Don’t give up” as Cena’s hand dropped twice but stayed up on the third attempt. However, Gunther reapplied the sleeper once again, and Cena finally tapped out.

    End of an era. John Cena goes out putting over Gunther in his final match, tapping out to the sleeper hold. Thank you, Cena.

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  • Latest On Donald Trump or Vince McMahon Attending John Cena\’s Last match

    There has been a lot of talk about which names will be in attendance for John Cena\’s retirement match at Saturday Night\’s Main Event tomorrow night.

    PWInsider recently provided an update on the matter, revealing a number of names that are expected at the show and a couple who are currently not in the mix despite popular speculation.

    While the possibility cannot be ruled out completely, the site reports that there is currently no indication that former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon or sitting US President Donald Trump will be in the arena.

    Though the McMahon family will still be represented. Stephanie McMahon is expected at the event, and Linda McMahon is also expected at the show.

    On the legends side, WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus is scheduled to be in the building, and it would be a surprise if other legends are not brought in for the night. WWE has planned surprises for the historic evening.

    Michael Cole and Wade Barrett are set to be on commentary, and Joe Tessitore will join the returning Jesse Ventura for the broadcast. Here\’s more backstage news on the event\’s plans.

    John Cena himself recently addressed the rumors about the position of his match on the card, confirming that he will main event the show. You can check out his full remarks here.

  • Backstage News On Saturday Night\’s Main Event Plans

    The upcoming Saturday Night\’s Main Event featuring John Cena\’s retirement match is one of the most anticipated wrestling events of the year. Fans have been both excited and emotional about the farewell of the former face of WWE and there has been a lot of talk about what the show will look like.

    One major point of discussion has been the placement of The Cenation Leader\’s match on the show. Earlier reports suggested that the wrestling legend himself wanted to open the night so the NXT exhibition matches can get a bigger spotlight.

    A lot of fans have been opposing this idea, however, believing that the Hollywood star should be in main event. Now latest talk suggests that people within the company believe the same.

    According to an update from Fightful, the majority of the people within the promotion, including several of those in power, want John Cena to close the show. While Cena opening the event is \’on the table\’ the idea for him to close the night has also been floated and it appears no decision for the match order has been made yet.

    The event is also expected to feature an updated look. A change in presentation for the show has been discussed since August and it\’s finally expected to be revealed this Saturday. Whether this will be a permanent change or not is yet to be seen.

    John Cena is set to wrestle Gunther in his retirement match at Saturday Night\’s Main Event. Another update on the show reveals that the officials are planning some surprises for the special. You can check out more about it here.

  • WWE Planning Surprises For John Cena\’s Final Match

    WWE is planning to make John Cena\’s final show special.

    The Cenation Leader is set to face Gunther in his retirement match at the December 13, Saturday Night\’s Main Event from Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

    Jesse “The Body” Ventura is set to make his return to the show after missing the last edition of SNME, though he is not expected to be the only legend in attendance.

    With Cena having faced many legends in his career, it\’s almost guaranteed that the company will be bringing in a number of veterans to make the night more special.

    Now PWInsider is reporting that World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk will also be at the show. NXT star Joe Hendry is likely to attend, and at least one more TNA talent apart from Leon Slater is expected to be in attendance.

    Not only this, but the site reports that the officials are planning even more \’surprises\’ for the upcoming event, although the specifics of the same are not known at the moment.

    Slater will be teaming up with NXT upstart Je\’Von Evans at the show to face the current tag team champions, AJ Styles and Dragon Lee, in one of the exhibition matches of the night.

    Other matches announced for the event include Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes facing NXT Champion Oba Femi and Bayley facing former Women\’s North American Champion Sol Ruca.

  • John Cena Must Win His Last Match

    The table is set for John Cena’s last professional wrestling match. After winning The Last Time Is Now Tournament, Gunther will assume one of the most villainous roles of his heel career as he vows to make man who never gives up—well—give up.

    The table is set for a fun evening as some of NXT’s brightest stars mix it up with main roster mainstays at Saturday Night’s Main Event. But how should this showdown itself play out?

    John Cena should win.

    John Cena Winning Bucks Conventional Wisdom

    Conventional pro wrestling wisdom would have an aging superstar wind down his time in the limelight by counting the arena lights, putting over a younger talent who can carry the business forward for years to come.

    Gunther certainly fits the bill as a decorated and well-respected talent who is still relatively fresh to WWE fans. But is The Ring General choking out Cena—much like he did to Goldberg in his final match at a Saturday Night’s Main Event earlier this year—really the way to go?

    It’s exciting to imagine Cena and WWE bucking tradition here and doing less what’s conventionally right for business than what’s right for the moment at hand. Cena winning carries with it the prospect of sending fans home happy in a way that a Gunther victory simply does not.

    Gunther Can Weather This Loss

    One argument against John Cena winning his farewell match is that it would hurt his opponent. While there’s nothing left to protect or push in terms of Cena as an in-ring attraction, Gunther likely has years ahead of him as a main event-level star.

    Gunther is also a successful enough wrestler to weather this loss, though. The longest reigning NXT UK Champion of all time, longest reigning Intercontinental Champion of all time, and the man who has held the World Heavyweight Championship for a cumulative 311 days in the last year and a half needs no protecting.

    Gunther weathered dropping the Intercontinental Championship to Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 40 by winning King of the Ring and then World Heavyweight Championship at the following SummerSlam. He weathered tapping out to Jey Uso at WrestleMania by putting the Yeeting Superstar to sleep on Raw to take his world title back less than two months later.

    Whereas a new main roster face like Oba Femi or even a guy looking to graduate to the top of the card like LA Knight might be meaningfully damaged by this high-profile loss, Gunther can keep moving on.

    Yes, defeating John Cena would be a nice feather in the Ring General’s cap. There’s also the reality, though, that he can be just fine having won the tournament to get this last match, worked it as a bully heel in front of what’s sure to be a huge audience tuning in for Cena’s last dance, and carry on with a successful career to follow, maybe even taking on a little extra fire over his kayfabe embarrassment at the loss.

    WWE Owes One To John Cena Fans And The Kids

    No, WWE doesn’t technically owe its fans anything. But John Cena’s most ardent fans tend to fall into one of two buckets. They are loyalists who’ve followed the product since Cena’s heyday over a decade back. Alternatively, they’re children who don’t know a WWE universe without Cena as a defining star.

    These fans have had a tough year. They’ve watched their hero and the defining babyface of a generation turn heel. When WWE launched its PLEs on ESPN, they watched Cena get obliterated by Brock Lesnar in an ugly defeat that fans are still scratching their heads over.

    Yes, Cena won Elimination Chamber, won a WrestleMania main event and 17th world title, and finally won an Intercontinental Championship. But for a career that’s been all about pleasing young fans and fans who reject irony and coolness in favor of unabashedly cheering the babyfaces and booing the heels, isn’t the fitting legacy to deliver on a happy ending? Indeed, fans who love Cena but feel turned off by his last match may see this as the point to move on from wrestling. By contrast, there’s a chance for WWE to send fans home happy and prepared for the next chapter of the company’s history.

    In the end, WWE will do what feels right for itself and it’s hard to imagine all the considerations and future directions for anyone outside the heads of Triple H and his inner circle.  Just the same, when it comes to serving the audience and ending 2025 on a feel-good note, the answer is clear. John Cena’s time is up… and his time is now.