John Cena confirms retirement match will headline WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event

Any speculation over the card placement for John Cena’s final match appears to be over.

With retirement just one day away, Cena stopped by The Pat McAfee Show for an interview on Friday. Cena confirmed that, as of now, his match against Gunther is scheduled to close the show at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event. Cena said he doesn’t know where the idea that he’ll be opening the night came from. It would be difficult for him to even conceptualize his match starting the show.

“I was on Jimmy Kimmel, I said I’m ending the show. I said I normally go to bed early but I’m going to stay up late for this one. I guess people didn’t read between the tea leaves. Like, we’re last,” Cena said. “I don’t even know how that started. It’s difficult to conceptualize that [going on first]. Again, I don’t make the menu. And if — gosh, if I show up tomorrow and they want me to go on first, well, that’s what I’m going to do. But we are last [at] this point.”

The Saturday Night’s Main Event special is taking place at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. and will stream live on Peacock starting at 8 p.m. Eastern. Gunther was confirmed as Cena’s final opponent through winning WWE’s Last Time is Now Tournament.

NXT talent will be featured on the undercard in exhibition matches against main roster wrestlers, which was Cena’s idea to help spotlight some of WWE’s best up-and-coming stars.

WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event (December 13) —

  • John Cena’s retirement match: John Cena vs. Gunther
  • Cody Rhodes vs. Oba Femi
  • Bayley vs. Sol Ruca
  • AJ Styles & Dragon Lee vs. Je’Von Evans & Leon Slater
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Joseph Currier
Joseph Currier

Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.

In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.