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WWE Saturday Night's Main Event: Full Results & Highlights

John Cena wrestles one last time when he faces Gunther at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event. Here's all your live results and highlights from the show in Washington D.C..
Rick Ucchino|
John Cena vs. Gunther
John Cena vs. Gunther | WWE

The last time is now.

All good things must come to an end, and tonight at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event the pro wrestling world will say goodbye to The 'Greatest of All-Time'.

John Cena will face off against Gunther in his retirement match, where The Ring General has vowed to make the 17-Time World Champion finally give up. Cena has only ever submitted four times throughout his Hall of Fame career, and not once has it happened over the past two decades.

Will Gunther prove to be a man of his word, or will Cena defy the odds one final time and go out on top? We'll all find out together in just a couple of hours.

Saturday Night's Main Event will go live from the Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on Peacock and internationally on Netflix. In addition to John Cena's grand farewell, there will be a series of exhibition matches that will feature WWE main roster stars going toe-to-toe with some of the best that NXT has to offer.

WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is desperately seeking a fight with Drew McIntyre, but he needs to channel all of his focus tonight toward NXT Champion Oba Femi. The Ruler is ready to show the world that he is the future of WWE, and that the future has already arrived.

Five-time WWE Women's Champion Bayley also has a tough challenge ahead of her tonight when she wrestles the extremely athletic Sol Ruca, and reigning World Tag Team Champions AJ Styles & Dragon Lee will go up against the impressive young tandem of Je'Von Evans and TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater.

The Takedown on SI will have your live results covered throughout the show. Check back for up-to-the-minute highlights starting at 8 p.m. (5 p.m. PT).

WWE Saturday Night's Main Event Live Results & Highlights:

Joe Tessitore set the scene when the show hit the air and introduced a number of WWE Hall of Famers as they were shown arriving to the Capital One Arena, including Kurt Angle, Mark Henry and Trish Stratus. WWE then aired a cold open that briefly recapped the career of future Hall of Famer John Cena.

WWE Champion Cody Rhodes made his way to the ring for the first match of the night, and he received a great ovation from the fired up crowd in Washington D.C.. NXT Champion Oba Femi was out next, and there was no introduction needed. The fans instantly greeted The Ruler with loud "Oba" chants in the same cadence of the old "Goldberg" chants.

Oba Femi used his size and strength advantage to gain the upper hand early. He dropped The American Nightmare with an Irish Curse Backbreaker, before tossing him from one end of the ring to the other. Rhodes attempted to fight back, but found himself the victim of another backbreaker.

Cody had a brief flurry of offense where he landed a powerslam and a Cody Cutter, which netted him his first two-count of the match, but Femi went right back on the attack with a big right hand and a spinebuster for a two-count of his own. 

The fight spilled to the outside and it was there that Femi delivered a running European uppercut that sent Rhodes flying across the commentary desk. Cody hit the desk hard and emerged with blood coming from his ear.

Back in the ring, Femi splattered Rhodes with a choke slam and scored another close two count. The WWE Champion would punch back with a surprise avalanche Cody Cutter, but the big man kicked out at two.

Before either man could get back to their feet, Drew McIntyre slid into the ring and started wailing on Cody Rhodes. The referee had no choice but to call for the bell. Femi was none too pleased with what happened and he shoved the Scottish Warrior down to the ground. That allowed Rhodes to get to his feet and hit a Cody Cutter on McIntyre.

Femi would then drop Drew with a massive choke slam as the crowd chanted for the match to restart. Rhodes and Femi shook hands instead, and held up their respective championship title belts.

Match Result: No contest after Drew McIntyre's interference

Bayley and Sol Ruca were up next. The Role Model was out first, accompanied by her tag team partner Lyra Valkyria. Zaria came down to the ring with the former NXT Women's North American Champion.

It didn't take long for Sol to showcase her insane athleticism, turning a hand stand into a backflip head scissors takedown. She then sent Bayley spilling to the outside with a super kick to the face and took the opportunity to land a picture perfect cartwheel flip over the top rope.

Ruca later wowed the crowd with a cartwheel DDT off the top rope and scored a very close two-count on the five-time Women's Champion. Bayley bounced back with a surprise Bayley-to-Belly for a two-count of her own. She attempted the Rose Plant, but Ruca flipped through and hit a Shining Wizard on the Role Model.

She went to the top rope for the Sol Snatcher, but Bayley yanked her down and drove her face first into mat with the Rose Plant. Bayley hooked both legs, but she over rotated and allowed Ruca to get a foot on the rope.

Bayley went to the top rope to deliver an elbow drop, but Ruca got her knees up. She was then able to connect with the Sol Snatcher, but Bayley rolled into the ropes. Ruca drug her back to the center of the ring where Bayley surprised her with a roll up, but Sol countered it the other way and was able to keep the Role Model down for three seconds.

After the match, Bayley and Valkyria showed Ruca respect by raising her hand.

Winner: Sol Ruca

Next up we saw the World Tag Team Champions, AJ Styles and Dragon Lee, take on Je'Von Evans and TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater.

The talented 21-year-olds wasted absolutely no time in getting this one going. The very second the opening bell rang, Evans and Slater dropped their opponents with Super Kicks in stereo. Evans followed that up with a sky high dive to the outside on top of Styles, while Slater did a running flip over to ring post onto Lee.

Evans and Slater kept up the attack on Dragon Lee and kept him isolated from Styles for several minutes. Once he was able to get the tag to Styles, the Phenomenal One came into the match and reignited the pace. The fight spilled to the outside, where Lee sent Slater flying into the arms of Styles with a hurricanrana.

He was in prime position for a Styles Clash, but Evans broke it up with drop kick. After throwing Lee into the ring post, Evans slid back into the ring and hit Styles with an OG Cutter. He tagged in Slater for the Swanton 450 Splash, but Dragon Lee was able to break up the pinfall attempt just in the nick of time.

Lee then sent Evans to the outside with a flying back elbow, leaving Slater alone to deal with Styles. The X-Division Champion got a little too cute and attempted a Styles Clash. AJ rolled through and cracked Slater with a stiff forearm. He then went for the Phenomenal Forearm, but he slipped and crashed hard into the mat. Slater attempted a cover, but Styles kicked out at two.

Leon went up to the top rope and leapt off, but AJ caught him midair and delivered the Styles Clash for the victory.

Winners: World Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Dragon Lee

Joe Tessitore and Stephanie McMahon addressed the crowd from the Okerlund Position and appeared to be setting things up for the main event, but The Miz rolled into the ring with a microphone.

He was wearing the very same gear that he wore the night he defeated John Cena at WrestleMania. Miz once again began to complain about getting shut out from his retirement tour, but he was interrupted by R-Truth.

Truth revealed to crowd that he was in possession of the name that SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis really pulled from the tumbler the night he needed a replacement for Sheamus in The 'Last Time is Now' Tournament. The Miz read the name aloud... Joe Hendry.

The former TNA World Heavyweight Champion then appeared. He and R-Truth dropped The Miz with a double Five Knuckle Shuffle. Hendry then hit the Standing Ovation and pinned Miz, with Truth counting the three. It was not an official match.

Main Event time. Gunther came down to the ring first and then John Cena made the final entrance of his career. Which was a spectacle all its own.

Once the bell rang, Gunther immediately tried to take the crowd out of the match by stepping away from the 17-Time World Champion and taking a walk onto the ring apron. After a few moments, he stepped back into the ring and took Cena down with a European uppercut as a chorus of "F--- you Gunther" chants rang out.

The Ring General proceeded to pummel Cena for a few minutes, before he was able to fight back with a shoulder tackle. He then completed the patented five moves of doom with a Five Knuckle Shuffle, but Gunther slipped out of the Attitude Adjustment attempt and delivered a German Suplex.

Gunther went for the sleeper hold, but John hit the drop toe hold and locked in the STFU. However, the big Austrian was able to make it to the ropes. Cena tried to drag him back to the center of the ring, but Gunther kicked him off. He followed it up with a shotgun drop kick and a massive powerbomb, but refused to go for a cover.

The former World Heavyweight Champion then delivered an onslaught of clotheslines, stopping in between each one to demand that the referee ask Cena if he wants to give up. Each time, Cena refused.

Gunther loaded up for another clothesline, but Cena ducked and hit his double shoulder tackle, side suplex combo. He followed it with a Five Knuckle Shuffle and this time he hit the Attitude Adjustment, but Gunther kicked out at two.

Cena attempted another AA, but Gunther countered into a sleeper hold. John would power out and lock in a sleeper of his own, but The Ring General again made it to the ropes. He then took the fight to the outside where he tossed Cena into the steel ring steps.

On the other side of the ring, Gunther set up the second set of steel ring steps in front of the commentary desk. It looked as though he was going to powerbomb Cena through it, but John countered with an Attitude Adjustment. He managed to get Gunther back in the ring for a cover, but he kicked out at two.

The pace of the match really started to pick up at this point. Cena connected on a top rope leg drop for a two count. He then took Gunther to the top rope for an avalanche Attitude Adjustment, but again The Ring General managed to kick out.

Gunther was able to gain the upper hand once again and hit threw Cena to the ground with a massive power bomb. He then went to the top rope and delivered a splash. He waited for Cena to get to his feet and locked in the sleeper hold. John fought him off valiantly for several minutes, even landing one final Attitude Adjustment for a close two count, but Gunther quickly locked the sleeper in one final time.

After a few moments, Cena got a strange smile on his face (almost as if he knew the tank had just hit empty) and he tapped out!

Winner via submission: Gunther

Gunther celebrated his victory, but quickly made his way to the back to give Cena the ring. It was at this point that the entire locker room came out, led by Chief Content Officer Paul 'Triple H' Levesque. He was heavily booed by a crowd that was upset that Cena was booked to lose, but the talent seemed to have fun with it.

World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk and WWE Champion Cody Rhodes put their respective titles on Cena's shoulders so the champ could have one more moment with the crowd.

Cena shared a hug with Triple H, who was again booed by the audience, before he pitched it to one final tribute video package for The 'Greatest of All-Time'.

After it was over, Cena bowed to the audience. He then took off his shoes and armbands, and left them in the center of the ring. And just like that, it's over. John Cena's time is up.

Thank You Cena.

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Published | Modified
Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

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