WWE Locker Room Split on John Cena’s Final Match Finish Against GUNTHER

John Cena’s last WWE match ended in shock, emotion, and a lot of boos from the crowd — but behind the curtain, the reaction was far more complex.

Cena tapped out to GUNTHER in the main event of Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, D.C., closing the book on a legendary 20+ year run. The crowd inside Capital One Arena chanted “bullst” and “f* you GUNTHER” as the finish played out. But while fans were clearly not ready to say goodbye that way, the locker room had mixed feelings of its own.

According to Fightful Select, there was no massive outrage — but that doesn’t mean everyone backstage was thrilled.

“There were plenty of people on both sides of the fence regarding the finish of Cena’s last match, with most on the creative/booking side in favor of it. We’ve heard from plenty of talent who wished Cena would have been booked to win, but understood the reality of GUNTHER winning and the booking moving forward. We didn’t experience any talent livid about the finish.”

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So while the match itself had WWE’s signature drama and a finale that pulled emotions out of fans across the world, it also sparked real debate internally. Some wrestlers hoped to see Cena go out on top. Others respected the booking choice — one that firmly puts GUNTHER in the center of WWE’s future.

And make no mistake: fans felt this match. Chants like “Super Cena,” “Don’t give up,” and full-blown expletives aimed at GUNTHER echoed throughout the night. Even Mark Henry, speaking on Busted Open Radio, said the emotion backstage reminded him of moments when someone passes away.

Love the ending or hate it, Cena went out doing what he always did best: putting WWE first.