With John Cena set to wrestle the final match of his WWE career tonight at Saturday Night’s Main Event from Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, several backstage notes and planning details have surfaced ahead of the show.
Internally, the direction of John Cena facing Gunther had been in place for months. Even during the period when Gunther was sidelined with injury, WWE sources indicate the company remained confident that he would ultimately be Cena’s final opponent.
Cena himself was also instrumental in shaping the concept of the event. He was the driving force behind the idea of NXT talent competing against main roster stars on the show. However, according to WWE sources, Cena did not personally select which NXT wrestlers would be featured.
There are no strict time limits attached to the broadcast, allowing flexibility in how the show unfolds.
There were also discussions at one point about Saturday Night’s Main Event airing on NBC during WWE’s negotiations to move PLE events away from Peacock. Those talks ultimately did not result in a deal.
Many within WWE only learned of Jesse “The Body” Ventura’s involvement this week. Ventura had originally been slated to appear on more Saturday Night’s Main Event broadcasts in 2025, but after being critical of a cage match finish and concerns surrounding a potential Hulk Hogan appearance, he was not brought back until December.
WXW had originally booked Leon Slater for an event tonight and only learned within the past week that he would instead be working the WWE show.
As of now, no one backstage has been briefed or prepared for appearances by Vince McMahon or Donald Trump. WWE personnel spoken to have not been informed of either attending, though it was noted that McMahon would be able to attend with far less visibility than Trump. Additionally, nothing related to this event appears on Trump’s public schedule for today.
If there was any doubt, Cena himself has confirmed that his retirement match will close the show.
Despite rumors making the rounds, Adam Copeland was never considered for Cena’s retirement tour, final match, or any on-screen involvement. Copeland remains under AEW contract, and WWE sources state there is nothing to those reports.
There are also additional wrestlers present at the venue beyond what has been announced, and as of this week, dark matches were expected to take place.
One final note: this event is projected to be among the largest gates ever for a WWE show in an arena of this size.
A fitting stage for the end of an era.
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(H/T: Fightful Select)
