We are just days away from one of the most significant nights in the history of this industry. John Cena is set to wrestle his final match at Saturday Night's Main Event in Washington DC. While the world expected a night entirely dedicated to the "Greatest of All Time," Cena dropped a bombshell on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night regarding the structure of the show.

During the interview, John Cena revealed that he doesn't want the event to be a nostalgia-heavy tribute to the past. Instead, he requested a format change that breaks wrestling tradition: he wants his final match to happen early, leaving the spotlight for the future of the business to close the show.

In a move that mirrors his own debut against Kurt Angle in 2002, Cena explained that he wants to use his departure to elevate unproven talent. He confirmed that fans tuning into Peacock will see current WWE superstars facing off against "minor leaguers"—likely a nod to NXT talent looking for their breakout moment.

"So, I actually suggested that instead of like a tribute and spending the whole show based around like, 'Okay, this is the past,' I wanted to have my final match, which I'll get my chunk of time, and then dedicate the rest of the show to the future. So if you tune in to Saturday Night's Main Event on Peacock on the 13th, you'll see my final in-ring performance, but you'll also get a look at the major WWE Superstars facing future stars. Because the way I came into the business was a major star, a gold medalist, was like, 'Open challenge to anyone.' And me, no-name, came walking out there, and that was the start of this crazy ride. So, 23 years later, I kind of want to return the favor, and you're going to see some technically minor leaguers step up to the plate and see if they can hit the ball."

While his match might not close the show, Cena did confirm he plans to be the last person the audience sees. When asked if he would stay until the end of the event, Cena joked about his notorious early bedtime but confirmed he plans to "end this one."

"Normally I go to bed early," Cena laughed. "But I think I'm probably going to end this one. So I'll probably be last on that." This suggests that while the wrestling may end with the younger talent, the broadcast will likely conclude with a final farewell from the 17-time champion.

While the format of the show has been clarified, the question of who actually retires John Cena remains unanswered. The Last Time is Now tournament has whittled a field of top contenders down to just two finalists: Gunther and LA Knight.

The two are set to collide to determine the number one contender, but the buzz backstage suggests the decision may already be made. Most insiders believe Gunther is the favorite to take the spot, offering a classic "David vs. Goliath" dynamic for Cena's swan song. Gunther has been protected as a dominant force, and a victory over him—or a crushing defeat at his hands—would offer the kind of finality this storyline demands.

However, WWE fans shouldn't count out LA Knight, whose undeniable charisma parallels Cena's own rise to stardom. Regardless of who wins the tournament, the real story might be the "future stars" Cena alluded to on Kimmel. If the main event of the evening isn't Cena, we could be looking at a massive debut that sets the tone for the next decade of WWE.