Gunther had won his way into wrestling history
In Austin, Texas, a tournament built around endings reached its own conclusion — Gunther, through patience and force, earned the right to stand across the ring from John Cena in what will be Cena's final match. The Last Time is Now tournament was never merely a competition; it was a ritual of succession, a way of asking which wrestler could carry the weight of a legend's farewell. Gunther answered that question with a submission hold, and in doing so, stepped into a moment larger than any single victory.
- The entire evening at the Moody Center was charged with the knowledge that a career was ending — and only one man could be chosen to close that chapter.
- Gunther and LA Knight pushed each other to the edge, drawing a spontaneous 'This is Awesome' chant from the crowd before Gunther's grinding submission style finally broke Knight's resistance.
- Elsewhere, Tomasso Ciampa's interference tilted the US Championship match, Nia Jax and Lash made a violent statement after the women's singles bout, and Cody Rhodes confronted a suspended Drew McIntyre in a confrontation officials could barely contain.
- Jade Cargill retained her Women's Championship after ringside chaos neutralized Alba Fyre's corner advantage, while NXT talent crossed over to build toward Saturday Night's Main Event.
- The night lands with Gunther positioned as the final opponent in John Cena's farewell arc — a storyline still being written, with its most consequential moment yet to come.
The Moody Center in Austin carried a particular weight on the December 5 edition of WWE SmackDown — the finals of The Last Time is Now tournament, a bracket built to determine who would face John Cena in his farewell match. Both Gunther and LA Knight understood what was at stake, and they fought accordingly.
The match drew the crowd fully in, earning a spontaneous 'This is Awesome' chant as the two men traded momentum. In the end, it was Gunther's methodical submission offense that proved decisive. LA Knight resisted as long as he could, but the pressure accumulated until there was nothing left — he tapped out, and Gunther claimed the right to stand across from Cena in his final appearance.
The rest of the evening filled in around that central story. Ilja Dragunov retained the United States Championship against Carmelo Hayes after Tomasso Ciampa knocked Hayes from the top rope, allowing Dragunov to land the H-bomb for the pin. In the women's division, Alexa Bliss defeated Kairi Sane after Charlotte Flair removed Asuka from ringside, though both women were attacked afterward by Women's Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Lash. Jade Cargill defended her Women's Championship against Alba Fyre, finishing her with the Jaded after ringside interference from Giulia and Kiana James neutralized Fyre's corner support.
The broadcast opened with an unresolved tension — Drew McIntyre arrived only to be turned away by General Manager Nick Aldis, still under suspension. Cody Rhodes attacked him before officials intervened, then demanded the suspension be lifted, his anger uncontained. That thread remains open.
The evening also featured NXT talent crossing over to the main roster ahead of Saturday Night's Main Event. But the night belonged to Gunther, who won his way into the final chapter of John Cena's story — a chapter whose ending has not yet been written.
The Moody Center in Austin, Texas filled with the particular electricity that comes when a tournament reaches its end. On the December 5 edition of WWE SmackDown, Gunther and LA Knight stepped into the ring for the finals of The Last Time is Now tournament—a bracket designed to determine who would face John Cena in what everyone understood would be Cena's final match. The stakes were not abstract. Both men knew what they were fighting for.
The match itself became the kind of contest that makes crowds lean forward. Gunther and LA Knight traded fury back and forth, each sensing the magnitude of the moment. The crowd responded with an audible "This is Awesome" chant, the kind of spontaneous recognition that wrestlers live for. As the bout moved toward its conclusion, Gunther began applying submission holds—the kind of methodical, grinding offense that defines his style. LA Knight fought against them, refusing to surrender, but the pressure accumulated. Eventually, there was nothing left to give. LA Knight tapped out. Gunther had won the tournament and, with it, the right to face John Cena in his farewell appearance.
The rest of the evening unfolded around this central narrative. Ilja Dragunov defended his United States Championship against Carmelo Hayes in the opening match, a bout that might have gone either way until Tomasso Ciampa intervened. Ciampa knocked Hayes off the top rope, a moment of interference that shifted the entire match. Dragunov capitalized, hitting the H-bomb for the pinfall and retaining his title.
Kairi Sane and Alexa Bliss competed in a singles match with their respective allies—Asuka and Charlotte Flair—stationed in their corners. The two women delivered an engaging contest until Flair removed Asuka from ringside. With that advantage, Bliss caught Sane mid-move, converting an attempted Insane Elbow into a Sister Abigail DDT for the victory. The celebration was short-lived. Nia Jax and Lash, the Women's Tag Team Champions, attacked both competitors afterward, a statement of dominance made with the titles held high.
Jade Cargill, the Women's Champion, faced Alba Fyre, who had Chelsea Green in her corner. The match turned when Green found herself confronted by Giulia and Kiana James at ringside. The distraction proved costly. Fyre lost focus, and Cargill seized the opening, finishing her opponent with the Jaded for the pinfall.
Earlier in the broadcast, an unexpected moment had set the tone for the evening. Drew McIntyre entered the arena only to be reminded by General Manager Nick Aldis that he remained suspended. As McIntyre left, Cody Rhodes attacked him, the two separated by officials before Rhodes could inflict further damage. Rhodes then demanded that Aldis lift McIntyre's suspension, his anger palpable as he left the ringside area. The tension between these men remained unresolved, a thread left dangling for future episodes.
The December 5 SmackDown also served as a showcase for NXT talent competing against main roster players, setting up matchups for the upcoming Saturday Night's Main Event. But the evening's defining moment belonged to Gunther. He had won his way into wrestling history—or at least into the final chapter of John Cena's story. What happens when they meet remains to be written.
Citas Notables
Gunther had LA Knight trapped in major submission holds. He tried to fight it for a long time, but eventually had to tap out.— Match commentary
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does a tournament to face a retiring wrestler matter so much? It's not like the championship is on the line.
Because it's the last time. Cena's leaving, and everyone knows it. Winning this tournament means you get to be the final opponent, the last person he faces in a WWE ring. That's not just a match—that's a legacy moment.
So Gunther beating LA Knight was the real story of the night?
It was the story that will echo forward. LA Knight fought hard, tapped out late, but Gunther's submission game wore him down. That's how Gunther wins—he grinds you, methodically, until there's nothing left.
What about the other matches? Dragunov, Cargill, Bliss—did they matter?
They mattered in the moment, but they're not what people will remember. Ciampa's interference in the Dragunov match, Flair taking out Asuka, Cargill's dominance—these are all pieces of a larger board. But Gunther's tournament win is the move that changes the game.
Is there tension brewing elsewhere on the card?
McIntyre and Rhodes. That's unfinished business. McIntyre's suspended, Rhodes attacked him anyway, and now he's demanding the suspension be lifted. That's the kind of thing that builds into something larger.
What does Gunther facing Cena actually mean for Gunther's career?
It means he's been positioned as the final test, the last opponent for one of the biggest names in wrestling history. Win or lose, that match defines him in a certain way. He's not just another challenger—he's the last one.