John Cena’s Curtain Call: Raw’s Wild Night At The Garden Says Goodbye To a Legend

If you weren’t glued to your screens for Monday Night Raw, you missed a barnburner straight from the heart of New York City. John Cena, the man who practically owned the last two decades, took his final bow on the Raw stage at Madison Square Garden. It was the kind of electric, tear-jerking, fist-pumping night that reminds you why you fell in love with this sport in the first place.

Let’s be honest, watching Cena walk that aisle one last time felt like the end of an era. The guy’s given us everything. So when his music hit, MSG came unglued, and rightfully so. It was a hero’s welcome for the newly crowned Intercontinental Champion. But this is wrestling, and sentimental moments last about as long as a referee’s count.

Cue Dominik Mysterio, the kid everyone loves to boo. He came out, whining about deserving a rematch for the IC title he just lost. Cena, ever the fighting champion, was ready to throw down right then and there. But “Dirty Dom,” in classic heel fashion, said, “Nah, let’s wait for Survivor Series.”

It was a classic setup, a little back-and-forth to get the blood pumping. Then, like clockwork, the rest of the Judgment Day goons, JD McDonagh and Finn Bálor, showed up to jump Cena. It looked like a three-on-one mugging until Sheamus and Rey Mysterio evened the odds, setting up a massive six-man tag to kick things off properly.

How Did Cena’s Final Raw Match Go Down?

John Cena, Rey Mysterio, and Sheamus vs. The Judgment Day

This wasn’t just a match; it was a celebration. The action was fast, furious, and exactly what you’d want from a star-studded MSG main event (that happened to open the show). The bad guys did their thing, isolating Sheamus and working him over. But you can’t keep a “Celtic Warrior” down for long. He tagged in Rey, who flew around the ring like he’d found the fountain of youth.

The crowd was eating out of the palm of their hands. After a hot tag to Cena, the place exploded. We got signature moves, near-falls, and the iconic triple-team “10 Beats of the Bodhran” that had the Garden roaring. In the end, Cena hit the “Attitude Adjustment” and got the pin. It was the perfect, crowd-pleasing send-off. A feel-good win for the GOAT in his final Raw appearance. It was beautiful, it was emotional, and it was a damn good wrestling match.

What Else Lit Up Madison Square Garden?

The night wasn’t just about Cena. WWE packed Raw like a clown car at the circus.

• Maxxine Dupri Shocks the World: In a move nobody saw coming, Maxxine Dupri defeated Becky Lynch to become the new Women’s Intercontinental Champion. Just when it looked like “The Man” had it won, AJ Lee’s music hit, causing a distraction that Dupri capitalized on for the win. It was a massive upset that crowned a new, unlikely champion and teased a future feud between Lynch and Lee. You gotta love the drama!
• Gunther and Je’Von Evans Steal the Show: The Ring General, Gunther, made his return against NXT’s high-flying Je’Von Evans in a tournament match. Man, this was a banger. It was a classic David vs. Goliath story. Evans threw everything he had at the big man, and for a minute, you almost believed he could pull it off. But Gunther is a monster. He weathered the storm and choked Evans out for the submission victory. Even in a loss, Evans looked like a million bucks. This was easily the match of the night.
• WarGames Gets Nuts: The end of the show was pure, unadulterated chaos. Paul Heyman brought out his WarGames team, and CM Punk came out to stare them down. Then the Usos and Cody Rhodes joined the party, and a massive brawl broke out. Just when you thought it couldn’t get crazier, Brock Lesnar’s music hit! “The Beast Incarnate” laid waste to Punk and Rhodes. But the surprises weren’t over. Roman Reigns made his thunderous return, going face-to-face with Lesnar before delivering a Superman Punch. The show went off the air with Reigns spearing Bronson Reed through the barricade. It was an Attitude Era-style ending that has everyone buzzing for Survivor Series.

This wasn’t just another episode of Raw; it was a statement. A farewell to a legend, the crowning of a new champion, and a chaotic setup for one of the biggest PPVs of the year. If you missed Raw, find a replay. This was one for the history books.