Is Gunther Winning The “Last Time Is Now” Tournament A Huge Mistake For WWE?
Let’s be honest, when Gunther was announced for the “Last Time Is Now” Tournament, we all knew where this was heading. The man is a walking, chopping, powerbombing inevitability. On the most recent episode of Monday Night Raw, he squared off against Carmelo Hayes, and while Hayes put up a valiant effort, the outcome was as predictable as a sunrise. Gunther won, moving one step closer to a final showdown with the legendary John Cena. Big surprise, right?
The match itself was… fine. Hayes, despite giving up a considerable amount of size and weight to the Austrian behemoth, looked impressive. He even got Gunther rattled, nearly securing a count-out victory after a DDT on the outside. But this is Gunther we’re talking about. The man who held the Intercontinental Championship for what felt like a geological epoch. After Hayes missed his finisher, The Ring General did what he does best: capitalized with brutal efficiency, hit a couple of devastating powerbombs, and secured the 1-2-3. It was a textbook Gunther victory, and another notch on his already crowded belt of accomplishments.
But as Gunther marches relentlessly through this tournament, a feeling of “here we go again” is starting to settle in. And it’s not excitement; it’s a mix of apathy and frustration.
Gunther: A Victim of His Own Success?
Here’s the thing about Gunther: he’s already a made man. You could wake him up at 3 AM, throw him in a main event against anyone on the roster, and it would be believable. He’s held a title for something like 73% of his WWE career. The man is a walking final boss. So, does he really need the rub from being the guy to retire John Cena? The answer is a resounding “no.”
This “Last Time Is Now” tournament, designed to give one superstar the ultimate honor of facing Cena in his final match, feels less like a star-making opportunity and more like a coronation for a king who already has a throne. Fans are already rolling their eyes. It’s not that we don’t respect Gunther’s talent—the guy is a phenomenal performer. It’s that this feels like a wasted opportunity, a storyline so predictable you could write the script yourself.
WWE seems to be booking itself into a corner. By feeding everyone to Gunther, they’re reinforcing a status quo that doesn’t desperately need reinforcing. He’s already at the top. Giving him this monumental match against Cena doesn’t elevate him; it just keeps him where he is. Meanwhile, a whole roster of talent who could desperately use that spotlight is left watching from the sidelines.
Who Else Could Have Used The “Cena Rub?”
WWE has a serious problem with building new, young stars on the men’s side of the roster. While the women’s division is flourishing with young talent ready to carry the company for the next decade, the men’s division is stacked with performers creeping into their 40s. Bron Breakker is one of the few exceptions in his 20s who has broken through, but where are the others?
Imagine for a second that this tournament had a different outcome. What if a rising star, someone like Oba Femi, had made a surprise run to the finals and shockingly defeated Gunther? What if that guy was the one to face Cena? The long-term value of creating a new main-event player out of thin air would be astronomical. It would be a genuine passing of the torch, a moment that could define a career and set up the company for years to come.
Instead, we’re getting the safe bet. Gunther will likely bulldoze his way through PENTA or Solo Sikoa next, and then onto victory. He’s even predicted it himself on social media, stating, “I think it’s no secret; the last time is me, The Ring General.” That’s not confidence; that’s just stating the obvious booking decision.
This isn’t an anti-Gunther rant. He’s one of the best things going in WWE. But this isn’t about him. It’s about the future of the company. Giving this career-defining match to someone who has already had a Hall of Fame-worthy run feels like a massive, unforced error. It’s a move that prioritizes the present over the future, and in the long run, that’s a strategy that rarely pays off.
