Rare support for Triple H; WWE legend backs him for choosing Gunther as John Cena's final opponent

WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Triple H, received a lot of heat over the farewell tour of John Cena, among many other things. The Game is being criticized for how he books regular shows and premium live events. In a rare move, Bully Ray has now come in support of the CCO and backed his decision to pit Gunther against Cena in his retirement match.

Speaking on the Busted Open Podcast, The Dudley Boy said that while fans may think that Gunther’s victory was predictable, it doesn’t automatically make it a bad thing. Ray noted that Triple H and WWE have plans for Gunther and Dominik Mysterio, which is why they chose to elevate them over the others.

“Sometimes it's predictable because that's the business. They have plans for Dominik Mysterio. They have plans for Gunther. That's why they did this. They see the money in Dom. They see the money in Gunther. That's why this is all done. And oh, by the way, why are things done? Hopefully, you understand why Brock Lesnar killed John Cena. Because it's all for somebody in the future, and that guy is Gunther. You pick the business at hand, and you go with it. This wasn't about one John. It wasn't about one person. It was about two. They're using John Cena to make two major stars. One was in the tournament, one was out of the tournament. Only one person can win." [25:55 - 26:56]”

The final round of the Last Time is Now Tournament saw The Ring General defeat LA Knight on last week’s episode of SmackDown. The former two-time World Heavyweight Champion will now face John Cena in his final match on the December 13, 2025, edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event.

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Bully Ray is glad John Cena won’t be retired by Carmelo Hayes

Bully Ray also mentioned Carmelo Hayes in the podcast episode and said that, while Melo is a good wrestler, he still has a long way to go. Notably, Hayes also hails from Massachusetts, like John Cena, and has said he would like to face his idol in a big match.

Bully Ray noted that if Melo had won the tournament, it would’ve never looked believable. The WWE legend said that the booking would’ve been extremely forceful, and there was no way Hayes could have convincingly won the tournament.

“If Carmelo Hayes was going to the finals against John Cena, I would have said that was the biggest force feed and force fit I've ever seen. It would not have been believable to me." [24:44 - 25:00]

Carmelo Hayes is yet to find his footing on the main roster. The former two-time NXT North American and one-time NXT Champion is yet to win a title on RAW or SmackDown.

Moreover, the few victories he has had over veterans like Randy Orton and Andrade have come via roll-over pinfalls rather than a decisive finisher or submission. It would be interesting to see The Never Seen 17 wrestle his final match in Washington, DC.

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