Former World Champion Gunther recently stated that making 17-time World Champion John Cena tap out in his retirement match means more to him than any championship he has won.
'The Ring General' reflected on the controversial finish during a WWE Retrospective interview.
Cena lost his retirement match in December 2025 to Gunther via submission, a booking decision that sparked debate among wrestling fans. The finish saw the 17-time world champion tap out, ending his legendary career in defeat.
Making John Cena Tap Out
Gunther addressed the reaction to the match finish, acknowledging the frustration from some fans while defending the significance of the moment.
People were frustrated that this is how it ended... when you hear the reaction after the tapout, it's just crazy," GUNTHER said.
"That's the biggest achievement too where it's like the guy that always said 'Never give up,' I can make him give up. That's maybe worth more than any title you can win.
The former World Heavyweight Champion highlighted the symbolic importance of forcing Cena to submit, breaking the mantra that defined much of Cena's career.
Retiring Wrestling Legends
Gunther has developed a pattern of defeating wrestling legends in their final matches. In addition to Cena, he defeated Goldberg and AJ Styles in their retirement bouts.
The Austrian's attention now turns to WWE WrestleMania 42 this weekend, where he faces Seth Rollins.
