John Cena’s final WWE match was loud, bruising and soaked in raw emotion and, true to form, the 17-time world champion put the business before his own happy ending.
At Saturday Night’s Main Event XLII in Washington D.C., the 48-year-old wrestling icon shocked fans by tapping out to Gunther in what was billed as the last bout of his legendary career.
The Capital One Arena was rocking as the Peacemaker actor and the “Ring General” battered each other in a wild, back-and-forth fight that teased hope right until the end.
For a moment, it felt like Cena might defy tradition and ride into the sunset with one last win.
But it wasn’t to be as Gunther stayed ice-cold, outsmarted the veteran and sealed the victory via tap out.
The crowd didn’t take it quietly, as soon as the bell rang, angry chants filled the arena, with fans furious that their hero hadn’t gone out on top.
Yet the boos quickly turned to cheers as the scale of the moment sank in.
CM Punk and Cody Rhodes led a parade of WWE stars to the ring, laying their championship belts on Cena’s shoulders in a powerful show of respect.
Triple H wasn’t spared the crowd’s wrath, but even that melted away as a career-spanning tribute played on the big screen.
Cena, ever the professional, handed the titles back, hugged his peers and soaked it all in.
After the match, The Suicide Squad star paid tribute to the fans and WWE stars surrounding the ring, bowing to honour their support throughout his career and delivering his signature salute.
Before leaving, he removed his shoes and arm and wristbands, placing them in the center of the ring to symbolise the end of his career.
An emotional Cena then walked away, saying, “It was a pleasure serving you all in this business.”
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