Kurt Angle Just Brought Back the Night John Cena Rewrote WWE History

John Cena just went out the way a lot of legends do: in a loss that felt like a win. On the December 13, 2025 episode of Saturday Night's Main Event in Washington, D.C., Cena wrestled what was billed as his final WWE match, facing Gunther and coming up short. The crowd and the timeline still showered him with love, and Kurt Angle jumped on X to welcome him into retirement with a nod to where their story started — the classic exchange: 'Who in the hell are you?' 'I’m John Cena.'

The last match (for now), the big reaction

Final bell, standing ovation. Cena wrestled Gunther in D.C., lost clean, and still walked out as the most cheered person in the building. Angle posted a heartfelt message thanking him for everything he brought to the ring and beyond, essentially handing him his gold watch via social media. It was a very 'close the book, but keep it on the coffee table' kind of night.

Rewind: Angle tested him on day one

If you want the neat full-circle part: Cena’s first televised WWE match was against Kurt Angle on SmackDown. And Angle wasn’t gentle about it. On his podcast in 2022, Angle explained he designed that debut match as a stress test to see if the rookie could hang with top-tier pros — and he did more than hang.

'I tried to blow him up... I made sure it was just nonstop action... he didn't get tired. He passed the test with flying colors.'

- Kurt Angle, on The Kurt Angle Show (2022)

Angle kept the pace high for about 11 minutes on purpose, hoping to gas out this new, chiseled kid with 'ruthless aggression' energy. Cena didn’t fade. That night was the launchpad for, well, everything that followed.

So what is Cena actually doing next?

Here’s the interesting part: Cena’s been clear that retirement from the ring doesn’t mean vanishing from WWE. He said the jorts can retire, but you’ll still see him on WWE TV — just in a suit. There are already rumblings that Saturday Night’s Main Event might not be his absolute last match, but the smarter bet is a shift backstage.

The most logical landing spot: creative. Picture Cena in the Gorilla position (the backstage control area) with Triple H and Shawn Michaels, helping shape shows, matches, and the next generation of headliners. Between his two decades of ring time and a surprisingly prolific run in Hollywood, he’s got the kind of perspective that can actually change how things are built week to week — not just in promos, but in how matches unfold and new stars get made.

Legacy mode unlocked

Whether or not he laces the boots again, the legacy is set. Fans are going to be revisiting the highlights for years — from that first SmackDown test with Angle to the final bow in D.C. against Gunther. If this really was the end in-ring, it was a fitting one. If not, the suit still feels like the next chapter that makes the most sense.

Saturday Night's Main Event is streaming on Peacock in the US.