Former WWE Champion Defends Controversial Finish To John Cena’s Final Match

John Cena, who often preached never giving up, ironically tapped out in his final wrestling match.

At WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event XLII, Cena faced Gunther, who defeated four different opponents to emerge as the winner of the ‘Last Time Is Now’ tournament.

As a result, he won the rights to challenge the 17-time world champion in his final bout in Washington, D.C.

Gunther expectedly dominated the fight, with Cena occasionally gaining offensive advantage. The 48-year-old even revisited some popular moves from the past, hitting a leg drop from the ropes and even a super-Attitude Adjustment on his Austrian opponent.

However, in the closing minutes, he fell into the clutches of Gunther’s sleeper hold. Despite offering a brief resistance, Cena accepted his fate and tapped out with a smile on his face.

The audience in the Capital One Arena, which was chanting “Don’t Give Up,” looked stunned as the 38-year-old victor celebrated.

The fans even shouted ‘bulls*it’ and booed Triple H when he came out to say his final goodbyes to the former WWE Champion. Almost two weeks later, the fans have yet to come to terms with Cena’s defeat.

Seth Rollins Defends John Cena’s Final WWE Match

Seth Rollins has been at the top of WWE’s food chain for some time now, and he has gotten to know John Cena pretty well.

While speaking on Fox News, Rollins defended Cena’s final match, stating that it initiated lengthy discussions and even put Gunther as a top heel, all of which would not have happened had he won the bout.

If John Cena had just won the match, you wouldn’t be asking any questions about it. We’re not even having the conversation. No one would be saying the name Gunther. None of this would be going on. At the end of the day, it’s always about what’s next, and John understood that better than anybody.

The business rolls on. The shows keep coming. The audience changes. The machine powers through. So my feeling is I saw John smile before he tapped out, and I think he knew exactly what he was doing.

Also read: Seth Rollins Reveals WWE Contract End Date