The Miz weighs in on the finish surrounding the retirement match of his former WWE rival John Cena at Saturday Night's Main Event
The scene of John Cena tapping out to GUNTHER's sleeper hold at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event continues to be a polarizing one as some fans see it as a symbolic gesture, while others are simply enraged. In the eyes of The Miz, it was the correct way to end the illustrious career of Cena, who now leaves pro wrestling as the record-holding 17-time world champion for WWE.
"It's exactly what should have happened for this final John Cena match," The Miz said on the SNME post-show, making it clear that he was speaking as his real-self, rather than his WWE persona. "... The right guy got the call. GUNTHER got the call and he succeeded. You might boo him, but it is well deserved. I have been in the ring with him; they have not. I know that guy is ready for this pressure. He is ready to be the person that took out John Cena, that made John Cena give up. Now, Monday Night Raw, I can't wait [to see what happens next]."
Expanding upon the Cena vs. GUNTHER finish, Miz noted that he would not have been thrilled in the event that Cena defeated "The Ring General" instead. Why? GUNTHER is considered to be the future of WWE — something Cena went out of his way to spotlight at Saturday Night's Main Event.
"You look at GUNTHER, he is the future, whether you like it or not," Miz said. "People are like, 'But he's in his upper 30s'. This guy is in his prime. I have wrestled him. I have been in the ring with GUNTHER. I know how lethal, how damaging he can be. And I also know that what guy made me a babyface when I wrestled him? GUNTHER."
As Miz alluded to, he has long been one of WWE's most hated characters. At WWE Survivor Series 2023, though, most fans found themselves rooting for him as he challenged GUNTHER, albeit unsuccessfully, for the Intercontinental Championship.
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The Miz Details Deeper Layers Of Cena-GUNTHER Finish
In deeper assessing the GUNTHER-Cena match, The Miz pointed out that the sleeper hold is usually, and ironically, slept on as a finisher. Amidst WWE Saturday Night's Main Event on December 13, however, most fans and pundits seemed highly tuned into it due to GUNTHER's intensity and its implications on Cena's famous slogan of "Never Give Up."
"When GUNTHER puts on a sleeper, you believe. Anything that GUNTHER does, you believe," Miz said. "He is the exact person that John Cena should have [wrestled] because of this [series of boos].
"Think about John Cena's career for just one second," Miz continued. "Who did he always go out against? The biggest, baddest heel, the guy that is getting booed out of the building. That is who super Cena went against, and normally, he would beat them. Then [the fans] would be like 'Oh, John Cena, he beats everybody. I cannot stand it, super Cena.' Now what happens? John Cena did the right thing. He tapped out, he gave up to GUNTHER."
Following his loss to GUNTHER, Cena is now officially retired from in-ring competition, with this status being further solidified by WWE moving him to the alumni section of its website. The Miz preceded Cena's final match in a segment involving himself, R-Truth, and Joe Hendry that resulted in the latter two hitting Five Knuckle Shuffles while "The A-Lister" lay in defeat.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit WWE with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
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Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.
Category: General Sports
