"I will be forgotten" The WWE Legend Addresses His Last Match and What Comes Next
WWE named Gunther as John Cena's final opponent, triggering fan backlash. The controversy is heightened by Cena's limited farewell run and his honest quote: "I will be forgotten... nobody gives a f***."
Cena’s retirement is marred by fan disappointment over the choice of Gunther and the fact his farewell run was limited to just 36 dates.
The pressure gauge on WWE's farewell spectacle has violently snapped from 'Emotional Sendoff' to 'Creative Controversy,' courtesy of the official naming of Gunther as John Cena's final opponent. The "Ring General" won the high-stakes "The Last Time Is Now" tournament on SmackDown by defeating fan-favorite LA Knight, setting up a clash of generations on December 13th at Saturday Night's Main Event.
The 17-time World Champion, who is officially retiring from in-ring competition this week, has had a farewell run defined by its limited schedule. Cena had unusually come into the final weeks on the back of a controversial creative decision, he originally wanted to perform 220 dates, a full year like in the old days but was ultimately only used for 36 appearances by WWE. The limited run was compounded by his signing a new five-year ambassador contract with the company, which ensures he remains a public figure but ends his physical in-ring presence.
But Cena got straight to the business of defending the company's choice and providing a sobering perspective on the nature of his exit. Following the announcement, Cena issued a direct, respectful response to the controversy and the limited schedule, stating on social media that he was honored to face
"an opponent who I respect and who has earned the right to issue this final challenge!"
He then provided a brutally honest assessment of his imminent exit, acknowledging the short shelf-life of a sports entertainer:
"I'm gonna retire on the 13th. They will be moved on by the Royal Rumble. That is real facts. I will be forgotten. That is not a plea to sympathy... By the Royal Rumble and the road to WrestleMania, nobody gives a f*, because they're focusing on what the show is."
"The match is a huge thing," the fans suggest. "To retire a legend should be special. We are proud, we are happy." Yet, the dramatic contradiction between the fans' desire for a nostalgic, storybook ending and Cena's own pragmatic acceptance of his role as a "contributing part" of the WWE machine now solely as an ambassador means the company will, for now, remain embroiled in a diplomatic battle, attempting to sell a necessary, future-focused match that many fans feel lacks the essential emotional weight to be a final farewell.
