Gunther has won the Last Time Is Now tournament and will face John Cena in his final WWE match.
The Ring General defeated LA Knight via submission in the tournament finals on Friday\'s SmackDown from Austin, Texas. Knight tapped out to Gunther, ending his impressive run through the 16-man bracket and confirming what many had expected since the tournament was announced.
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Gunther will now face the 17-time world champion at Saturday Night\'s Main Event on December 13 from the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The event, officially titled \"Saturday Night\'s Main Event: John Cena\'s Final Match,\" will stream on Peacock in the United States and Netflix internationally.
Gunther\'s Path to the Finals
The former World Heavyweight Champion dominated throughout the tournament, defeating Je\'Von Evans in the first round, Carmelo Hayes in the quarterfinals, and Solo Sikoa in a hard-fought semifinal match on Raw. His victory over Sikoa came with controversy when both competitors resorted to low blows during the closing stretch.
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LA Knight Falls Short
Knight entered the finals as an underdog despite an impressive tournament run. He defeated Zack Ryder (who made a surprise return for the tournament) in the first round, beat The Miz in the quarterfinals after Sheamus was forced to withdraw due to injury, and pulled off a stunning upset over Jey Uso in the semifinals.
The Megastar delivered a passionate promo before the match, declaring that defeating John Cena would cement his legacy. Despite the Austin crowd firmly behind him, Knight was unable to overcome the Ring General.
The Stage Is Set
Gunther now has one week to prepare for the biggest match of his career. While he has no prior history with Cena, the Austrian has proven himself capable of delivering in high-profile retirement matches, having wrestled Goldberg earlier this year.
For Cena, this marks the end of a year-long farewell tour that saw him capture a record 17th world championship at WrestleMania 41. The 16-time WWE Champion has been emphatic that December 13 will be his final in-ring appearance.
\"I am absolutely, 100% done on the 13th of December on Peacock,\" Cena said on Jimmy Kimmel Live this week.
Saturday Night\'s Main Event streams December 13 at 8 PM ET on Peacock.
