GUNTHER Says Retiring John Cena At SNME 'Felt More Intense' Than WWE WrestleMania

GUNTHER officially retired John Cena during the December 13, 2025, edition of WWE Saturday Night's Main Event, and he's since retired AJ Styles, adding a third veteran to his list that began with Goldberg. While he's yet to main event WWE WrestleMania, GUNTHER stated that stepping into the ring for Cena's final match was more difficult than walking onto the "Grandest Stage of Them All."

"It almost felt more intense than WrestleMania that day – like, backstage," he said during an interview on "What Do You Wanna Talk About? With Cody Rhodes." 

However, GUNTHER wasn't nervous because of nostalgia over the end of Cena's career. The wrestler said that he's never been shy about the fact that he didn't grow up as a superfan of WWE, preferring other styles of wrestling. Still, GUNTHER makes an effort to soak in the big WWE milestones when they happen.

"It was great to be the guy that can – yeah, pull the rug out from everybody," he stated. "Until the day of the match, I maybe said hello to him twice; that was all the interaction we ever had." Despite the lack of a relationship between the two, the moment still meant something to GUNTHER. "It was the biggest thing I've done in my career. Like, the first time I was ever part of something with that magnitude." 

However, the weight of those situations doesn't bother GUNTHER. Instead, he sees them as motivation.

"In life, I get bored by mundane stuff very quick," he said. "I get bored quickly, so I love those situations with a lot of responsibility."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "What Do You Wanna Talk About? With Cody Rhodes," and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.