World Wrestling Entertainment has confirmed that John Cena will step into the ring for the final time on Saturday, December 14, 2025, bringing to a close a 20-year in-ring career that placed him at the centre of the company’s global expansion. The farewell bout will see the American wrestler face GUNTHER at Saturday Night’s Main Event, following the conclusion of the Last Time Is Now tournament.
The tournament, designed to determine Cena’s final opponent, ended with GUNTHER securing victory to set up a meeting between two wrestlers whose careers reflect different eras and approaches within WWE. While Cena is known for a power-driven style and long-standing connection with fans, GUNTHER has built his reputation on technical discipline and physical intensity. Ahead of the match, the Austrian wrestler made it clear that sentiment would not influence his approach, indicating that he intends to deliver a decisive performance rather than allow a ceremonial ending.
The bout will mark Cena’s final in-ring appearance after a career that included 16 recognised world championship reigns and years as one of WWE’s most prominent figures. Over two decades, he headlined major events, including multiple WrestleManias, and later expanded his profile beyond wrestling into film and television.
Saturday Night’s Main Event will be broadcast live to a global audience. The show begins at 8.00 pm ET in the United States, where it will stream exclusively on Peacock. International broadcasts will be handled through WWE’s regional partners, with viewers in the United Kingdom able to watch in the early hours of Sunday, while audiences in India, Australia and Japan will also receive live coverage according to local schedules.
Beyond Cena’s farewell, the event features several championship contests, including an undisputed title defence by Cody Rhodes against NXT Champion Oba Femi, and a World Tag Team Title defence by AJ Styles and Dragon Lee. The card also includes a women’s singles match between Bayley and Sol Ruca, alongside an appearance by Kevin Owens.
Despite the wider championship implications, attention remains firmly fixed on Cena’s final match and what it represents for WWE. The encounter with GUNTHER has been framed as a meeting of past and present, raising questions about whether the evening will close with a symbolic send-off or a clear transition to the next generation.
As the company prepares for the event, Cena’s final appearance is expected to draw fans reflecting on a career that shaped WWE programming for much of the last two decades, even as the organisation positions itself for the future beyond one of its most recognisable figures.
