Longtime WWE fan favorite John Cena tapped out in his final match on Saturday, December 13th, and that made fans unhappy. “He’s the goat of our time,” said fan Lewis Bonilla. Disappointment came during the Main Event of WWE’s Saturday night’s show broadcast from Washington D.C. on Peacock, when Cena yielded to a younger talent, Gunther. The 48–year–old Cena was locked in a sleeper hold by the 28–year–old Gunther, and Cena tapped his own shoulder to say he quit.
The end came at 23 minutes and 43 seconds into the match. “When I think of pro wrestling, I think of John Cena. And for a very long time, he was the embodiment of professional wrestling. And there was nobody better. And there probably will never be anybody better than John Cena,” said Kelvin Rodriquez. Some think the Cena tap–out went against what his character represented. Cena hasn’t tapped out since 2004. After that, he fought to the end. “He told people not to give up and give someone
a motive to keep on going with what they’re struggling with,” Jose Diaz said.
Cena joined the WWE in 2002 as a happy–go–lucky rookie. But his character developed and, since late 2004, John Cena preached hustle, loyalty, and respect. Over the years, some fans resented his rise in the WWE, but young fans believed in him and liked his charisma. He was witty and could back up his trash talk in the ring. “He deserved way better. 23 years in the game and he lost by tapping out,” said Johnny Rivera. But Cena, even as he retires from wrestling, has had a profound impact on many pro wrestling
fans. Fans grew up thinking he was the best. “He was a very large part of my childhood,” Kelvin Rodriquez said. It’s hard to let that go, even when people understand.
“Unfortunately, he’s too old to keep going,” said Lewis Bonilla. Even though he didn’t leave the ring victorious, the WWE celebrated Cena that night. After the match, the other wrestlers came down to the ring and cheered for Cena. But they booed WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque, known during his championship wrestling days as Triple H. They saw him as the villain behind this messy retirement for Cena. Yet the night ended with a joyous video celebration of the highlights of John Cena’s career.
Now, fans wait to see who will emerge as a new top face.
Series: Sports
