Gunther recently reflected on the responsibility of being the man who retired John Cena during an appearance on the What Do You Want To Talk About? podcast hosted by Cody Rhodes.
Gunther served as Cena’s final opponent during an edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event, bringing an end to the legendary career of the 16-time world champion. Looking back on the experience, the Austrian star admitted the atmosphere surrounding the match carried an enormous sense of gravity.
“That day, strangely, it felt almost more intense than WrestleMania,” Gunther said. “Heavier is a good term… everybody was very worked up.”
Despite the historic nature of the moment, Gunther noted that he did not grow up as a devoted WWE viewer. Even so, the magnitude of Cena’s final appearance was impossible to ignore once he arrived backstage that day.
For Gunther, the opportunity to end Cena’s in-ring career represented a rare moment where he could truly feel the impact of what was happening both inside the arena and around the world.
“But also for my own benefit, it was great to be the guy that can pull the rug on everybody,” he said.
Interestingly, Gunther also revealed that he barely interacted with Cena prior to the match, recalling that the two only briefly crossed paths before the event.
“I never had that with him, because I think until the day of the match I maybe said hello to him twice.”
Even with an already impressive résumé—including a record-breaking Intercontinental Championship reign and a run as World Heavyweight Champion—Gunther believes the moment stands above everything else he has accomplished.
“I think it’s the biggest thing I’ve done in my career. It was the first time I was ever part of something with that magnitude where I could really feel like it affects everybody.”
