The Curious Case of John Cena’s final opponent – By Wrestle G

Hello NoDQ universe and welcome once again to the Ramblings of me, Wrestle G. So glad to have you back here to read my opinions on the latest goings on in the wrestling world.

It feels a bit quieter recently wouldn’t you say? No major counterprogramming, no huge stadium shows. Both of the two major companies just seem to be re setting a little bit. And you know what? I don’t mind that.

Since January 2025 it felt like both WWE and AEW have been in overdrive trying to build their stories and push each other both in and out of the ring. In my opinion it made both better through the Summer. Now maybe there is a bit of burn out creeping in. It’s hard to go so fast so quickly. But nothing for me has fallen off of a cliff, I still enjoy tuning in every week.

And on the Horizon as we end 2025 the big moment and event will be John Cena’s last ever match in a WWE ring. It’s been an interesting and varied last year for the Never Seen 17 that’s for sure, and there will be time enough once it’s over to a do a review of the retirement tour as a whole.

But with only 4 dates left the landing is in sight. So, what do WWE and John Cena do for that final match? How do you satisfyingly end this illustrious career?

Let’s look into some of the possible options and see if we can come out with what we as A fanbase would want to see from John Cena’s curtain call with WWE.

Cena’s Final Match – The Contenders

Established stars (most likely list)

The first group of potentials are the guys who are already established in and around that main event scene who could give Cena a solid last match while also keeping a prestigious feel.

Gunther – this seems to be the most likely opponent of any I’m going to speak about today (and lots of this article is attempting wish fulfilment rather than me thinking it is likely to happen) He’s already retired Goldberg and put over Jey Uso. The match quality we don’t have to worry about, Gunther has consistently delivered bell to bell but he feels cooler than he did during the height of his IC title run. This honestly feels more like a Vince type choice for the final match. A big foreign heel against the number 1 babyface. I like the quality aspect of the choice, but I feel like a heel winning over Cena in the final match feels like a weird torch passing. It’s likely by reports to be what we get, but I’m not sure I’m sold on it.

LA Kight (yeah!) – Talk about a performer who has been on the cusp of success in the last few years. Knight has been in and around the main event scene without the trigger really being pulled. He’s still over, but that feels under threat with his recent losses in big matches. He needs a shot in the arm, a big feud or match that solidifies him as someone who can win the big one. Cena would offer him a perfect platform to do just that. It would also be a real test of Knight on the Mic going back and forth with one of the very best to do it.

Jey Uso – Oh how I can hear the howls of derision from everyone for this one. But think about it, who is more like early John Cena than Jey Uso currently? Popular with Kids, sells a tonne of merch and criticised for poor work from the adult section of the fanbase. If you’re talking about a true passing of the torch to the next incarnation. You are talking about Jey Uso. Now, I do not think for one second that Jey Uso can be the next John Cena. But the top brass at WWE certainly sees a lot in Jey. If we are planning for the last match and what we want to achieve out of it. I can see Jey being a serious consideration.

Drew McIntyre – If Drew is to lose against Cody this Saturday at SNME then for me he has to be inserted as the man to best Cena. Drew cannot sustain too many more big match losses, and while I can totally sympathise and agree with Cody not dropping the belt right now. But Drew needs to be elevated wins wise. His work is great, his Mic work is top notch, and the crowd are into him. What better feather to put in his cap than to have him laud his win over Cena’s retirement.

Up and coming stars (outfield choices)

Jacob Fatu – Jacob is going to be a main event star. That much is for sure. He has a wild brawling style that cena has meshed with immensely over the course of his career. He could make Jacob look like a star and Jacob has the work to hold up his end of the bargain. The Samoan Werewolf looks like a killer. If he were to kill the career, then the audience would in my opinion buy into it.

Bron Breakker – Bron is being positioned to be part of the next wave of main event talent. Him taking out Seth has accelerated that and given how Freakishly talented he is I don’t think there would be many criticisms of him being springboarded to being the individual who will be associated with Cena’s last match. The only issue I feel is that maybe he is a bit too explosive to take on Cena. At Cena’s age with the miles he has on the clock I think it’s a bit of a risk for Bron to be hitting 25MPH spears.

The Legends (the very very unlikely/impossible candidates

The Rock – The Final Boss for the Final match? I don’t think it’s unfair to say that Cena standing toe to toe and mic to mic with the Rock back in the 2010’s was the time where Cena brought a lot of doubters onside with him. The two-year feud brought a lot of fun moments even If the matches didn’t quite hit as classics. Fans would be very into these two Mount Rushmore talents having one last match. This wouldn’t do anything for business long term but would be a fitting spectacle for the occasion.

Stone Cold Steve Austin – Look I know it’s never going to happen. But imagine if it did? Imagine the pop, imagine the hype, imagine that moment of both guys staring at each other across for the ring just as the bell rings. This one will be filed away in dream matches that never happened. But I had to at least float the idea! Haha.

So that is my shortlist for candidates for the match. Gunther as above is the most likely to get the nod here. However, my personal pick would be Drew. I think Drew would benefit the most, I think Drew would give Cena his all for his last match, and heck Drew might even hire the Nexus to come help him. Now wouldn’t that be something!

I’d love to hear your thoughts though; is there a candidate I missed? Who would you like to see in the final match? Do you have a dream scenario for it? Let me know in the comments below.

Or I’m also on X via @Wrestle_G or on TikTok via @wrestleg come join in the conversation everywhere.

That’s me done for this week, enjoy Saturday Nights Main Event this weekend. And I will be back next Friday.

Until next time,

Cheers,

G