The opponent for John Cena’s final match as part of his year-long retirement tour has reportedly been chosen.
According to a new report from Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, WWE has selected GUNTHER to face the 16-time world champion in his farewell bout. The historic match is scheduled to take place at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13 in Washington, DC, which will be Cena’s last contracted appearance.
The report notes that multiple sources within WWE have confirmed that “Cena vs. Gunther” is listed internally for the December event. At this time, it is said to be the only match officially listed for the show. Cena’s final match is expected to be the main event and the central focus of the entire broadcast, drawing a close to one of the most decorated careers in WWE history.
To build anticipation for the final match, WWE is reportedly planning an on-screen tournament. Meltzer’s sources indicated that the latest plan is for a tournament to be announced, possibly by Triple H, which would feature a number of top WWE superstars.
The winner of this tournament would earn the honor of being John Cena’s final opponent. However, the sources also stated that GUNTHER was the person chosen for the spot, implying that he is the planned winner of the tournament.
John Cena’s Retirement Tour
John Cena’s retirement tour began on January 6 at the WWE Raw Netflix premiere in Los Angeles. This followed his official announcement at Money In The Bank in 2024 that he would be retiring from in-ring competition at the end of 2025. He has since been making select appearances as part of his farewell to WWE fans around the world, leading up to the final match in December.
Before he gets to Washington, DC, Cena has a few more scheduled dates. His next major match is set for this weekend at Crown Jewel in Perth, Australia, where he will face long-time rival AJ Styles one last time. Following that event, Cena is only slated for four more WWE appearances before he steps into the ring for the last time against his chosen opponent at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
