John Cena's Final Match: Gunther Submission Prediction

It's a strong card geared toward showcasing potential call-ups and star-making opportunities.

Three Things to Watch:

Je'Von Evans and Leon Slater Win the Tag Team Championship

Here's a prediction—I don't mind being wrong, but it feels like Je'Von Evans' time in NXT is short. Though he's never won the NXT Championship, he doesn't need to. His unannounced match against The Miz on Friday's SmackDown looked very good.

AJ Styles and Dragon Lee are the champions and have good chemistry, but a win here for Evans and Slater elevates the youthful tag team. Slater is the TNA X Division Champion and had a brilliant performance at NXT Deadline.

It's about time WWE gives a TNA wrestler a run with a title. The pairing and timing of Evans and Slater feels right if you pull the trigger now.

WWE seems to care about the tag team division again for the first time in what feels like forever, and a change on tonight's card raises the stakes moving into 2026.

Prediction: Je'Von Evans and Leon Slater to win the tag team championship

Bayley Defeats Sol Ruca

Continuing with showcasing the future on this card leads us to Sol Ruca vs. Bayley. Ruca has been at ringside on WWE programming over the last two weeks, and having her face Bayley gives Ruca one of the best women in wrestling to work with tonight.

This match is also a test for Ruca. Fans love her in NXT—let's see if that translates to a main roster event. That finisher has to be seen. Fans want it, and you've got to give the people what they want.

A sure win interrupted by Zaria would pop the crowd and put Ruca on schedule for what will hopefully be a big 2026 for her. We should expect to see Ruca's finisher, the Sol Snatcher, at some point, and Zaria will get involved to cost her "friend" the match. Ruca will then go back to NXT and feud with Zaria before a call-up to the main roster at some point in 2026.

Prediction: Bayley wins

Oba Femi Pins Cody Rhodes After Drew McIntyre Interference

The confrontation these two had on SmackDown Friday night was a good setup for tonight's match. Oba Femi was able to keep pace with Rhodes on the promo, and Rhodes has had several matches against dominant and seemingly unstoppable forces like Femi in the past.

Femi is a different breed of power wrestler. He has the strength, skill, and endurance to have a long match.

Someway, somehow Drew McIntyre is going to come in and attack Cody, and we'll have Oba Femi score a pinfall over the WWE champion.

Prediction: Oba Femi wins thanks to interference by Drew McIntyre

Gunther's Legend Killer Coronation

Cena has been a stalwart for the company. He's been Mr. Everything for WWE. He hasn't won much at PLE events lately because he wants to show proper respect to the industry.

He has proven to be a true generational talent with an appeal to people of all ages. Pairing him with Gunther gives him a solid veteran to close his final match out on a high note.

There's no reason to predict the Cena match—Gunther is winning, period. This is Cena's last wrestling match ever, and what matters is how Gunther wins.

Gunther was Goldberg's final opponent, and now he gets Cena's last match. That's legend-killer territory, and WWE knows it.

Gunther has appeared unstoppable in the past, but if he submits Cena, you put him in Brock Lesnar territory—a true unstoppable monster. A submission over Cena—something few have ever done—positions Gunther for a dominant world title run at some point next year.

He'll hold that title for months, maybe longer, until WWE finds the right person to slay the dragon. Whoever beats Gunther after a reign like that gets a massive boost that can define their career.

This isn't just Cena's farewell moment. It's Gunther's coronation as WWE's next unstoppable force.

Prediction: Gunther wins via submission. Cena won't tap—he'll pass out.

Final Thoughts

After that match is done, WWE understands their biggest stars are aging and won't be around over the next 5-10 years. They've been criticized under Vince McMahon for not thinking ahead and not developing enough stars, and it seems Triple H is going to do his best to avoid it.

2025 hasn't delivered strong ratings or memorable premium live events, making this youth injection strategy even more crucial.

I may be wrong about the Evans and Slater prediction, but if I'm right, think about what the tag team landscape will look like since WWE is once again making an effort with that division.

This will be an entertaining card from top to bottom, and we shouldn't expect any duds here at all. Every NXT wrestler on this card can get made tonight. If you can't get over tonight, then you never will.