Overview
- On Raw, Gunther boasted that he made John Cena give up and was met with loud boos before on-air GM Adam Pearce ejected him from the arena, with a tense parking-lot stare-down with AJ Styles closing his night.
- Wrestling Observer Radio, cited by multiple outlets, reported WWE decision-makers were surprised by the intensity of the negative response and that some within the company disagreed with the call for a submission finish.
- Cena’s farewell match at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, D.C., ended with a sleeper-hold tap-out to Gunther, and the crowd directed angry chants at Triple H during what was intended to be a tribute segment.
- Analysts noted the act of tapping out clashed with Cena’s “Never Give Up” image and likely amplified the hostility, even as the angle produced significant heat for Gunther on Raw.
- Peers and celebrities including Dwayne Johnson, The Undertaker and Lilly Singh shared public tributes, and Cena reiterated his voluntary retirement decision, with one report saying he signed a five-year ambassador deal with WWE.