On the December 5 episode verdict of WWE SmackDown was rendered from Austin, Texas, where Gunther defeated LA Knight in the Last Time Is Now tournament finals and secured the right to meet John Cena in the finals, which is also going to be Cena’s last match with WWE. Gunther, by applying submission hold, which is similar to Cena’s trademark STF, secured his position and, through the camera, challenged Cena, promising a powerful goodbye for WWE’s veteran champion.
Gunther books massive showdown with John Cena
The decisive match, Knight vs Gunther, had the highest stakes possible. Knight almost secured victory when he executed his BFT finisher followed by a powerful offensive. Nevertheless, Gunther was able to apply a counter and successfully place him in a submission hold. The finish certainly showcased Gunther’s increasing strength and opened a door for a gigantic showdown with Cena for the soonest Saturday Night’s Main Event XLII on December 13.
Major storylines intensify ahead of the main event
Several storylines also unfolded earlier in the show. The post WarGames confrontation led to Cody Rhodes seemingly daring Drew McIntyre to come back, and Ilja Dragunov provided a successful defense of the United States Title against Carmelo Hayes. On the other hand, the hostility among different groups kept boiling.
Road to Cena’s farewell begins
This match, which has now been confirmed for December 13, is officially the last match of John Cena’s full-time career in the WWE. The company is building the story around John Cena’s farewell and Gunther’s rise. Fans could say the previous episode was a loud announcement where the torch is being passed, and this big fight is what the next chapter in the history of the title reign will be about.
