The December 13th edition of Saturday Night Main Event made history with WWE hosting a significant event at the Capital One Arena in Washington DC. This night marked John Cena’s final wrestling match before his retirement. Alongside Cena’s match against Gunther, the show also highlighted promising new WWE talents like Jevon Evans, TNA’s Leon Slater, Sol Luka, and Oba Femi.
TheSportster’s rating system reviewed this special “Last Time Is Now” episode to identify the best and weakest matches and how the rest performed overall.
Starting the night, NXT Champion Oba Femi made his main roster debut facing WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, delivering a high-energy contest with the crowd split in support. Rhodes initially relied on speed to counter Femi’s strength, but Femi matched his agility and power until he was knocked into the ring post. The match intensifies with back-and-forth action, highlighted by debilitating moves and blood adding to the fight’s intensity. Unfortunately, Drew McIntyre interrupted, causing a disqualification that disappointed fans who wanted the bout to continue. This interference was seen as a missed opportunity to showcase Femi’s potential, although he later confronted McIntyre.
Next up was Bayley versus Sol Luka, telling a straightforward but effective story where the young and athletic Luka continually outmaneuvered veteran Bayley, causing frustration. Luka’s agility kept her ahead until some risky high-flying moves missed, allowing Bayley to capitalize with her more aggressive style. The match culminated in exciting near falls and exchanged pin attempts, with Luka ultimately winning in a thrilling finish.
The tag team match featuring AJ Styles and Dragon Lee against Leon Slater and Jevon Evans was a fast-paced, high-energy bout full of spectacular moves. Early aggressive tactics from Slater and Evans almost secured a quick win, but Styles and Lee recovered to deliver a world-class performance. Despite some moments lacking in story depth, the match showcased each wrestler well, ending with Styles defeating Slater after a decisive Styles Clash.
The main event saw John Cena face Gunther in a memorable farewell match. Although the crowd reacted negatively to the finish, the match itself was intense and emotional, carried by Cena’s significant moves and the electric atmosphere. Cena played a strong heel role, using his signature moves, but Gunther dominated with powerful strikes and a prolonged sleeper hold. Cena’s eventual tap out was a surprising and dramatic end to his career.
Fan Take: This episode was a poignant celebration of John Cena’s legacy while shining a spotlight on emerging stars who represent WWE’s future. The mix of emotion, talent, and storytelling underscores the evolution of professional wrestling and leaves fans eager to see what’s next for WWE.
