Gunther reigned supreme over John Cena at Saturday Night’s Main Event. And it’s not a small thing, as he retired Cena with the final loss of his career. Since then, fans have been saddened, but Gunther has fully embraced his role as the man who ended an era. After forcing the Greatest of All Time to tap out in his final match, the “Ring General” has spent the following week doubling down on his triumph.
During an interview on TMZ’s Inside The Ring, Gunther dismissed the outpouring of grief from fans. The champion also pointed out what he perceives as blatant hypocrisy within the fanbase. He noted that while Cena was treated as a beloved hero during his 2025 retirement tour, he was once the most divisive figure in the industry.
For over a decade, Cena was regularly met with dueling chants of “Let’s go Cena” and “Cena sucks,”. Many fans are complaining that he was being forced upon them. Gunther found it “funny” how quickly the audience forgot years of animosity to treat Cena as a universal hero in his final months.
The aforementioned remains his extensive take on his feelings about retiring Cena, but he has also spoken his heart out on the matter earlier. On the RAW after SNME, Gunther opened the show to a deafening chorus of boos. He leaned into the heel role, claiming he made the 17-time World Champion tap out like a “b—h.” By ending Cena’s career on such a somber note, WWE has created a massive wave of momentum for Gunther.
Gunther opens up on the difference in retiring Goldberg and retiring John Cena
Gunther solidified his reputation as the “legend killer” of the modern era by forcing John Cena to submit in his final match. Despite a resilient effort from the Greatest of All Time, Cena succumbed to Gunther’s devastating sleeper hold. This victory follows Gunther’s previous win in Goldberg’s retirement match, leading many to wonder if retiring icons have become a recurring theme for the Ring General.
Gunther compared his experiences retiring two of the biggest names in wrestling history. He acknowledged the magnitude of both wins; he noted that the matches were different due to the skillsets of his opponents. Gunther praised Cena’s technical ability, describing him as a much more “well-versed” and dynamic wrestler.
He contrasted this with Goldberg, whom he described as “limited” in the ring. “It’s not like a dig to Goldberg,” Gunther clarified. He noted that Goldberg’s fame was built on intensity rather than “in-ring masterclasses.” However, Gunther emphasized that Cena exists on a different level of importance. To the Ring General, Goldberg is a massive name, but he cannot be compared to what Cena represents.