It was ok, not outstanding, and that makes it even worse for a retirement match of this magnitude. And while Gunther was the absolute right choice for the one to get the torch, maybe he was the wrong choice, because there wasn't that emotional moment in this one that tugged at your heart strings, and made a retirement match truly meaningful. Like the Sean Michaels Ric Flair match. Gunther really didn't have that emotional connection with Cena.
From a technical standard, this was a decent match. From a storyline perspective I'd call it passable.
But the ending was wrong. I mean the WWE was right to have Cena lose. The booker was right to resist the temptation of having Cena struggle mightily and pass out, and good for them.
But the Cena tape out just . . . didn't . . . feel . . . . meaningful. Instead he had a almost bored look on his face as he slowly and almost casually tapped out. I agree with the above, where Cena fights it, and then gets the look at Gunter snugs it in that he just, well there was noway to break the hold, that it was the right time to end his career. And after fighting and his face turning purple, he taps out.
Instead like the entire retirement story line, this felt flat. I think that the fans felt it to, I mean the thank you Cena chants were great and energetic as was the standing O for the belt parade. But you could feel the displeasure with the match itself.
They resisted the temptation to have Cena that night take the mic and say goodbye. And by the way he laid out his equipment, he likely won't appear at smackdown to do it.
Thinking about it, everyone needs a retirement angle in their life. If I retire someday, I would hope that I could pay Brock Lesnar to F5 me out of a 20 story office building.
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My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
It was just fine IMO. Cena smiles just before he taps out, I thought it was a nice touch by leaving on his terms. Made him very relatable and not some overly dramatic sendoff.
