WWE Saturday Night's Main Event XLII: John Cena's Last Match Full Card and Predictions

From the Capitol One Arena in Washington DC, WWE’s Saturday Night’s Main Event XLII is set for this Saturday, December 13 at 8 PM Eastern/5 PM Pacific. At the top of the card, John Cena will perform in his retirement match to cap off a professional wrestling career of 26 years. For the first time in the program's history, the main roster of WWE Superstars will share the floor with NXT and TNA talent in a series of cross-brand matches.

The broadcast will be free for Peacock subscribers and available on YouTube for those outside the United States.

Here’s a rundown of the card as revealed thus far and the projected winners:

Champion vs. Champion: Cody Rhodes vs. Oba Femi

In a special Champion vs. Champion exhibition, the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes faces off against the NXT Champion Oba Femi in a first-ever encounter. Femi regained his NXT Championship at last week’s Deadline card, beating Ricky Saints to kickstart a second reign. In his third year as a pro, The Ruler has amassed a collection of championships utilizing his unique blend of powerhouse technique and agility.

On the other hand, Cody Rhodes has stood tall amongst his peers as the company’s top champion. With nearly two decades of experience over his foe, Cody should be able to withstand the NXT upstart and take it home. He’s proven capable of slaying giants and carries a bag of veteran tricks unseen by his opponent. That’s not to say that this will be a clean sweep for Cody, as Oba is an imposing tour de force once he gets enough offense going. Femi’s a potential great-in-the-making who has bulldozed over many of his contemporaries, but lacks the seasoning and know-how against the caliber of main eventer Rhodes embodies.

WINNER: CODY RHODES

Sol Ruca vs. Bayley

In an intergenerational encounter of the NXT women’s division, Bayley squares off against Sol Ruca. This match was revealed on the December 8th SmackDown, the two having established a friendly but competitive atmosphere.

Bayley’s a wrestler’s wrestler, having paved the way for future talent at a time when women’s wrestling was undervalued by company management. Meanwhile, Ruca represents the shift within WWE’s recruitment philosophy having signed without any wrestling experience but made her name in gymnastics and acrobatics. It’s a case of experience and technique versus speed and natural athleticism, with both being standouts in their respective divisions.

Ruca’s signature Sol Snatcher is an especially deadly tool, utilizing her athleticism to perform a cutter unlike anyone else in the WWE. In spite of Bayley’s experience, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Ruca could pull an upset. An out-of-left-field victory over a former Women's Champion would raise Ruca's profile significantly as the new year looms over.

WINNER: SOL RUCA

AJ Styles & Dragon Lee vs. Leon Slater & Je’Von Evans

The World Tag Team Champions AJ Styles & Dragon Lee are set to appear in a non-title contest against the team of Leon Slater and Je’Von Evans. Styles, a featured rival of Cena, is approaching his own retirement having wrestled since 1998. This means he’s wrestled longer than the lifespan of either his opponents, giving him a clear edge for in-ring knowledge. Pair this with Lee, known for his high-risk offense and speed who is among the main roster's fastest stars.

That’s not to throw shade at their opponents, as Slater is the current TNA X-Division Champion who has gotten the rub from The Hardy Boyz and even Styles himself. Meanwhile Evans is fresh off his win of the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge at NXT Deadline. The two offer a complementary mix of innovative, high-flying offense at only 21 years old a piece - true prodigies considered the future of the industry by their peers.

Despite the sheer talent shared by the youngsters, Styles and Lee will find victory. Lee can match the fast pace of the opponents, but Styles’ bulk and technique honed over decades of globetrotting will tip the scales in their favor. This does have match-of-the-night potential, being the biggest platform for either Slater or Evans to date.

WINNERS: AJ STYLES AND DRAGON LEE

The Last Time is Now: John Cena vs. Gunther

The final bout of the evening will see John Cena's Last Match, as the former world champion sets his sights on Gunther. The Ring General outlasted a single elimination bracket of fifteen others in The Last Time Is Now Tournament, beating LA Knight in the finals via submission. Among his accomplishments this year, Gunther held the World Heavyweight Championship and retired the legendary Goldberg in July.

On one end, Cena has proven capable of overcoming the odds against a variety of monster heels in these big-match scenarios. He’s closing his final year of active competition with his own set of accomplishments including a record-breaking seventeenth World Championship and becoming a Grand Slam Champion. However, while in his day Cena could’ve made quick work of Gunther this time may prove different.

Gunther is in his physical prime over the battle-weathered Cena, with superior technical ability and size over the leader of the Cenation. He’s worked more matches this year than Cena, giving him the edge in conditioning while applying underhanded tactics such as low-blowing Solo Sikoa in the semifinals. In a promo on Monday’s Raw broadcast, Gunther vowed to make Cena submit - something that hasn’t been done in over twenty years.

Wrestling convention usually dictates that the retiree loses on his way out, and retiring two legends within the year could raise the Austrian's stock heading into 2026. Cena’s going to leave it all in the ring for one last time and the WWE Universe is sad to see him go, but he’s simply outgunned heading into his final stand.

WINNER: GUNTHER