John Cena ended his more than two decade in-ring career in Washington DC by tapping out to Austrian powerhouse Gunther, in a retirement match framed to crown WWE’s next dominant heel. The "Main Event" card, branded as Saturday Night’s Main Event XLII, blended Raw, SmackDown and NXT rosters, featured video tributes from CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, The Rock and Kurt Angle, yet drew criticism for thin storytelling and a disjointed lineup that saw fans chant for AEW and jeer Paul Levesque. Cena’s farewell arc, which included a brief heel turn, a final Undisputed WWE Championship run through WrestleMania, and his symbolic gesture of leaving wristbands and shoes in the ring, has sparked debate over whether he truly passed the torch to Gunther and what his likely shift toward acting and James Gunn’s DCU means for WWE’s creative direction.