WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry appeared on TMZ’s Inside The Ring podcast, where he discussed the rumored John Cena vs. Gunther match reportedly set for Saturday Night’s Main Event as the final match of Cena’s 2025 retirement tour.
Henry said he would be satisfied with Cena facing Gunther, but revealed an emotional idea he believes would make Cena’s last moment in WWE unforgettable.
Henry explained that his “dessert” after a potential Cena vs. Gunther match would involve Joe Hendry, whose rising popularity has captured fan interest. He pitched the idea of Hendry coming out after Cena’s final match to make a heartfelt request.
“I would want Joe Hendry to come out and say, ‘I didn’t make it in the tournament, but before you leave, I want you to allow me the privilege of being in the ring with you.’”
Henry continued with an emotional twist: “When Joe Hendry gets in the ring, you would think that John would be like, ‘Listen, man, I’m done. I just had my last match.’ But John is a soldier.”
He then described the moment he envisions: “I would have Joe Hendry say, ‘John, I don’t want to fight you. I wanted to have a match with you because I wanted to do this.’ And have Joe Hendry lay down on the ground on his back and tell John Cena, ‘Cover me so I can say I had a match with you, and you beat me on my record.’”
Henry said the idea works because wrestling is at its best when it pulls on the audience’s emotions. “When you do things that are emotional, and you do things that require heart—like strings being pulled—that’s how you make it in wrestling. You have to emotionally affect people. It’s not about being in tight clothes and turning flips. It’s the storytelling.”
