>>19639944I feel like ranting so TL:DR Cena shouldn't have tapped out ever - Tanashi was fine losing or winning the match it was not about Tanashi never losing a match or his last match.
A old wrestler retiring in the ring, in an announced retirement match is to celebrate the wrestlers work before and usually putting over someone with few more years than you or a younger talent is a good way "to give back" to the business you are leaving behind as an active performer.
He could have gone out victorious too and it would not have mattered that much as Okada is a established name in the circuit - "he had one win still left in him"
Gunther didn't really need to win either but OK, Cena leaves giving a win.Cena losing because he got choked out - "He didn't give up! Boo Gunther, you meanie! Glad I paid money for this though" says the fan in the seats
What complicates Cena going out tapping is the "I'm going to ruin wrestling" - phase, which then turned to a beloved impromptu face turn and best title run for him for the Grand Slam title holder status and amazing match with AJ to all end in this let down.
Just like the Undertaker streak, Cena never giving up is a sort of a stable of wrestling, a meme, that I don't think should have been broken - I think they are as much part of the legacy of wrestling - makes me worried if Orton is going to retire in the ring, his last match is just countless RKO counters without a single one going through - it's less tangible but the idea is that something is subverted to it's own detriment, like a big old fuck you to the fans because it's a over thought "what if we did this instead" writers room brain fart that's only there to get as much pop in the social instead of in the arena.
Or maybe it was Cena's final fuck you to Hunter and TKO, to ruin his own retirement for real so they can't cash in on his likeness as much, who knows! Point is everyone could see that winning or passing out was better for the show and the aftermath
