Gunther has addressed the controversial visual from the closing moments of John Cena’s retirement match, sharing his thoughts on the 17-time World Champion smiling while fading in a submission hold. The bout took place last weekend at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, D.C., where Gunther defeated Cena in the main event to end the legend’s in-ring career.
The finish saw Cena trapped in Gunther’s sleeper hold. Instead of a grimace of pain, Cena looked into the camera with a smile on his face as he tapped out, a moment that sparked debate among fans. Some viewed it as a character moment, while others felt it detracted from Gunther’s dominance.
Speaking on The Ringer Wrestling Show, Gunther expressed no issues with Cena’s choice of expression. He emphasized that the result remained the same and that he took pride in the victory regardless of the optics.
“I was satisfied with everything to be honest. First of all, I think it’s a very big achievement to take people on a ride like that with a Sleeper Hold. I think that’s a very big achievement,” Gunther said.
The “Ring General” acknowledged that Cena, as one of the greatest storytellers in industry history, had the prerogative to end his career on his own terms. Gunther viewed the smile as a deliberate message from Cena to his fanbase—a sign of peace and acceptance—rather than a slight against the maneuver.
“That’s the message he wanted to send, and that’s his right, and that’s what he wanted to, the message he wanted to send to his fans,” Gunther explained. “That’s fine. It doesn’t change the outcome if he’s smiling or not.”
For Gunther, the victory solidifies his position as the “career killer” of the modern era. Having retired John Cena, he now moves forward with a lot of momentum.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit The Ringer Wrestling Show with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
