Backstage Update on John Cena’s Match Placement at WWE Saturday’s Night Main Event

WWE insiders are still hashing out whether the retirement clash of John Cena with Gunther will kick off Saturday Night’s Main Event or close the show, even as the event looms just hours away at Capital One Arena. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Cena himself pushed to go on first, though that idea has puzzled many backstage, given the massive draw of his farewell bout.

The internal expectation leaned toward an opener for over a week, but Monday’s RAW saw Joe Tessitore hyping a post-show starting right after the “main event” of John Cena vs. Gunther, strongly hinting at a closer. This SNME edition feels more like a premium live event than past iterations, complete with a two-hour pre-show and one-hour post-show, ditching any strict two-hour cutoff to let the card breathe. Putting Cena last makes obvious business sense.

The belief is that fans tuning in at 8 PM ET will stick around for Cena’s exit, maximizing eyes on undercard talents like Oba Femi, Je’Von Evans, Leon Slater, and Sol Ruca, whom Cena wants spotlighted. An early slot risks viewers bailing after Cena, leaving matches like Cody Rhodes vs. Oba Femi (with zero build) or Bayley vs. Sol Ruca (mostly an NXT draw) to smaller crowds.

While it would make sense for Cena to go over, the match will be designed to elevate Gunther, so Cena losing is also still in play, mirroring Sting’s booked loss last year to pass the torch without diminishing the opponent. Gunther’s role here isn’t just safe execution, it’s about him leveling up through the push, win or lose, while delivering the emotional payoff fans crave from “The Last Time Is Now.” With the sellout gate already rewriting records north of $4 million, WWE could execute a satisfying cap to Cena’s 2025 tour and elevate Gunther regardless of who wins or loses.

#ThankYouCena

— WWE (@WWE) December 12, 2025