Gunther Tops LA Knight, Prepares for John Cena Showdown

AUSTIN, Texas — Gunther emerged victorious against LA Knight in the final match of The ‘Last Time is Now’ Tournament on Friday night at SmackDown, securing a chance to face John Cena in his final match scheduled for December 13.

From the moment Gunther was announced as a competitor, fans anticipated his win. The match showcased Knight’s resilience as he pushed Gunther to the limit, aiming to give Gunther his first non-title singles loss in WWE. However, after a German suplex from Gunther, Knight appeared to injure his neck, setting the stage for Gunther’s final assault.

Gunther, dominating the match after the injury, locked Knight in a grovit submission hold, leading to Knight’s eventual tap out. After the victory, Gunther looked into the camera, promising to replicate his success against Cena at the upcoming event.

In other matches, Ilja Dragunov retained his Men’s United States Championship by defeating Carmelo Hayes, even amidst interference from Tommaso Ciampa. The unexpected turn upset Dragunov, who later expressed dissatisfaction with how his victory unfolded.

Meanwhile, WWE Champion Cody Rhodes took matters into his own hands, demanding General Manager Nick Aldis reinstate Drew McIntyre after a backstage confrontation between the two men. McIntyre, who recently faced suspension, ended up driving away from the arena after a scuffle broke out with Rhodes.

In a separate mixed tag team match, Rhea Ripley teamed up with Damian Priest to battle Aleister Black and Zelina Vega next week on SmackDown. Ripley’s alliance signifies a growing presence in the women’s division.

More developments saw Alexa Bliss defeat Kairi Sane and WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill claim victory over Alba Fyre. The excitement spills over into future matches as stories of rivalry and competition continue to unfold.

Gunther’s victory places him in a significant spot leading into the showdown with Cena, with both stars prepared for a highly anticipated match at Saturday Night’s Main Event.