Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Tom Dierberger

Sports World Reacts to John Cena Tapping Out in Final WWE Match

John Cena WWE Sports World Gunther Tyrese Haliburton

That’s a wrap on John Cena’s career in the WWE.

Cena, one of the most popular professional wrestlers of his era, bid farewell to the WWE after his final match against Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

To finish off the WWE’s four-match card on Saturday, Cena wrestled heel Gunther for the first time—and lost. In the closing seconds of the match, Cena was tied up by Gunther but tried to rally by giving the O.K. sign to the crowd. They chanted for him but Cena couldn’t keep the match going and tapped out to end his career.

Cena retires as a 17-time world champion, five-time U.S. champion, four-time Tag Team champion, two-time Royal Rumble winner and an intercontinental champion.

Many sports figures paid tribute to Cena, including Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who was at the event in Washington, D.C.

THANK YOU JOHN CENA 🫡 pic.twitter.com/qWgAuTbA9w

December 14, 2025

More on Sports Illustrated


This article was originally published on www.si.com as Sports World Reacts to John Cena Tapping Out in Final WWE Match.

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII)
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
New research shows it’s never too late to help students learn to read – even in high school
Learning to read is a complex process. It requires children to master and integrate multiple skills, from mapping abstract symbols to the right speech sounds to understanding what all the words mean. This is why reading is one of the first and most important things children are taught in the…
The Conversation
The Conversation
20 Years Ago, A Legendary Director Revived King Kong For The 21st Century
With 'King Kong,' Peter Jackson brought a Hollywood classic's complicated legacy into the 21st century.
Inverse
Inverse
Drunk raccoon that went on boozy rampage in Virginia liquor store is repeat offender, officials say
‘Supposedly this is like the third break-in he's had,’ a local animal control officer said
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Spike Lee reveals what his legacy will be after he dies
Spike Lee has revealed two things that will be his legacy after he dies.
BANG Premier
BANG Premier
Has Disney sold its soul in deal with OpenAI's Sora?
Disney+ will stream fans' AI-generated videos.
Creative Bloq
Creative Bloq
Bluey’s Quest for the Gold Pen: after some misfires we finally have the first good Bluey video game
The new Bluey game is the first made in Australia, the first to involve creator Joe Brumm and the first to respect the kids playing it
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play