John Cena Explains Why He Smiled As He Tapped Out, ‘It Was Time To Take My Last Breath And Go Peacefully’

In his final match at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, John Cena tapped out to Gunther with a smile on his face.

Fans have debated and discussed the finish, but the man himself explained his thought process behind it.

“I envision something beautiful. Saturday far exceeded whatever was in my heart and soul. I know I’m out there one last time. I’m out there, and they hate the guy I’m working with. They universally cheer me. That is fucking rare. For the last five minutes, everything I preach about story, drama, and having a conversation with the audience…the ones I love are in the front row, I know my colleagues are watching on the monitor in the back. We’re just in a sleeper hold, but we’re having that conversation with the audience. As I essentially take my last breath and have struggled. You think of somebody, the natural causes scenario or however we picture loss in our life, all of us have been through it. They struggle and struggle, but they hang on just long enough to make sure to say goodbye to everyone that is meaningful in their lives. That whole day was so many meaningful and vulnerable conversations. Then, you realize, I’ve connected with everybody I love. Physically, I feel great. I think it’s time to take that last breath. I hate to keep going back to obituaries, but that was, ‘This person died peacefully,'” Cena told Cody Rhodes on What Do You Want To Talk About?

Cena said multiple times leading up to his last match that he would remain retired and he wanted fans to be at peace with his decision and the fact that he would not be returning to the ring.

Fans can find Fightful’s coverage of WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event here. Check out the post-show podcast for a full review here.

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