How to Watch WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event XLII
Saturday Night’s Main Event XLII is scheduled to take place this Saturday (tonight), featuring the final match of John Cena’s wrestling career. The event will be held at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. This broadcast marks the 42nd episode of the Saturday Night’s Main Event series and the first to include talent from the NXT brand and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).
The following guide provides information on how to view the event, the background of the scheduled matches, and the full card.
Broadcast and Streaming Information
United States
In the United States, Saturday Night’s Main Event XLII will be available exclusively on Peacock.
- Platform: Peacock
- Requirement: A subscription to Peacock Premium or Peacock Premium Plus is required to stream the event.
International
Viewers outside the United States can watch the event via the WWE Network or through local broadcast partners in their respective regions.
Event Details
- Event: Saturday Night’s Main Event XLII
- Date: Saturday, December 13, 2025
- Location: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
- Participating Brands: Raw, SmackDown, NXT, TNA
John Cena’s Final Match
The primary scheduled contest is John Cena’s retirement match. Cena announced his intention to retire from in-ring competition at the end of 2025 during the Money in the Bank event in July 2024.
The 2025 Tour
Cena began his final year of competition on the January 6, 2025, episode of Raw. Throughout the year, he competed in several major events:
- Royal Rumble: Cena participated in the Royal Rumble match on February 1, 2025, but did not win.
- Elimination Chamber: He won the Elimination Chamber match on March 1, 2025, earning a championship opportunity.
- WrestleMania 41: Cena defeated Cody Rhodes on April 20, 2025, to win the Undisputed WWE Championship.
- SummerSlam: He held the title until August 3, 2025, when he lost it back to Rhodes in a Street Fight.
The “Last Time Is Now” Tournament
To determine Cena’s final opponent, WWE organized the “Last Time Is Now” Tournament, which commenced on November 10, 2025, on Raw. The tournament concluded on the December 5, 2025, episode of SmackDown. In the final round, Gunther defeated LA Knight to secure the position as Cena’s opponent for Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Leading up to this event, Cena briefly held the WWE Intercontinental Championship after defeating Dominik Mysterio on November 10, 2025. By winning this title, Cena became a Triple Crown and Grand Slam champion. However, he lost the title back to Mysterio at Survivor Series: WarGames on November 29, 2025.
Undercard and Cross-Promotional Matches
The event features matches involving championships and competitors from Raw, SmackDown, NXT and TNA.
Cody Rhodes vs. Oba Femi
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is scheduled to face NXT Champion Oba Femi in a non-title match. This match was established on the December 5 episode of SmackDown, where Rhodes stated he would face the winner of the NXT Championship match at NXT Deadline. Femi defeated Ricky Saints at NXT Deadline to retain his title and confirm the match against Rhodes.
AJ Styles & Dragon Lee vs. Je’Von Evans & Leon Slater
A tag team match is scheduled between the World Tag Team Champions, AJ Styles and Dragon Lee (Raw), and the team of Je’Von Evans (NXT) and Leon Slater (TNA). This match was announced on the December 8 episode of Raw. Leon Slater is the current TNA X-Division Champion.
Bayley vs. Sol Ruca
A singles match between Bayley (Raw) and Sol Ruca (NXT) was announced on the December 5 episode of SmackDown.
Full Match Card
The following matches are confirmed for the event:
- Singles Match: John Cena vs. Gunther (John Cena’s Final Match).
- Champion vs. Champion: Cody Rhodes (Undisputed WWE Champion) vs. Oba Femi (NXT Champion).
- Tag Team Match: AJ Styles & Dragon Lee (World Tag Team Champions) vs. Je’Von Evans & Leon Slater.
- Singles Match: Bayley vs. Sol Ruca.
