John Cena recently addressed fan reaction to his WWE retirement match against Gunther, offering thoughtful perspective on criticism, legacy, and why he felt the ending was fitting.
Speaking at Fan Expo New Orleans, Cena discussed losing his final WWE match to Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event, acknowledging the divided opinions surrounding the bout and expressing gratitude toward fans who voiced their honest reactions.
“Losing my last match against Gunther, thank you. Thank you to remind me that you’re allowed to have your opinion, and thank you for not just conforming to uh to a certain set of standards. Thank you for being vocal enough to express how you felt because every moment can be a teachable moment. I put together, my job is to try to put together a story that I think you all enjoy.”
Cena emphasized that he has never shied away from criticism throughout his career, viewing it instead as an essential part of growth and storytelling. “And when there’s critical opinion out there, I’m all ears. I don’t ignore the critics, I’m thankful for them for DC [SNME] and every match I had before that.”
Reflecting on the mixed reception to his final performance, Cena explained why the polarized response felt like a fitting conclusion to his legendary run. “And like I said, I kind of parallel to my career, I think it was a perfect end because a whole lot of people thought it sucked and a whole lot of people thought it was special. And that’s kind of been my story for 23 years. So I thought it was perfect.”
For Cena, whose WWE career has consistently sparked passionate debate, the reaction to his farewell match wasn’t a flaw—it was the point. In his eyes, the contrasting opinions mirrored the very essence of his two-decade journey at the top of professional wrestling.
