John Cena Explains Why Fan Backlash After Tapping Out to Gunther Was 'Perfect'

Fans in attendance were in shock after Cena tapped out to Gunther and soon started booing once WWE's chief content officer, Triple H, came to the ringside. The discourse over the manner of the 48-year-old's retirement has continued a month on from his final hurrah in a WWE ring.

Some felt the finish was a perfect ending to Cena's career, including CM Punk. The World Heavyweight Champion called out critics for making their 'unhealthy' dislike for the match become their personality.

Cena gave an interesting verdict on the ongoing debate about tapping out for the first time in 20 years. He was asked by TheSportster presenter MuscleManMalcolm during an appearance at New Orleans FAN EXPO for his response:

"I think it was a perfect end because a whole lot of people thought it sucked, a whole lot of people thought it was special. And that’s kind of been my story for 23 years."

Cena had previously compared the finish to a person dying and accepting their fate, noting that this was why he smiled when tapping out. WWE has used the heat from the angle to present Gunther as a career-ending super-villain, and it seems AJ Styles might be next on the Austrian's retirement list.

The Problem With John Cena Tapping Nobody Is Discussing

The main issue fans have had with Cena tapping out to Gunther is that his character stood by the mantra of 'Never Give Up.' Many couldn't understand seeing such a resilient superhero of sorts go against those words in his final WWE ring outing.

But it was a perfect ending, as Cena bowed out by acknowledging that his time had come, and he was ready to ride off into the sunset. Some fans question the way he tapped out, feeling it didn't make Gunther look strong because he submitted with a smile on his face, rather than doing so due to an inability to withstand the pain of the sleeper hold.

What many critics haven't highlighted is that Gunther didn't make Goldberg tap; instead, the WCW legend passed out in the hold. It seems odd that a 59-year-old would rage against the dying of the light, unlike Cena, who, 10 years younger, chose the easier way out of the submission.