It seems like it was only yesterday when John Cena shocked the wrestling world by teasing and then later confirming his in-ring career was coming to an end. In the year and change since the “Doctor of Thuganomics” announced his in-ring retirement and kicked off his big farewell tour, Cena has taken on the likes of Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Randy Orton, and more.
But now, with his final upcoming WWE show announced for December 13, 2025 in Washington, D.C., we’re left wondering who he’ll face before leaving the proverbial boots (sneakers, in his case) in the ring. So, who do we think Cena will wrestle in his final match before ending his sure-thing WWE Hall of Fame career? Here’s a breakdown of possible opponents ranked from least to most likely…
Edge
Though this rumor has been shot down by pretty much everyone, there’s been a lot of talk about Edge leaving AEW for one final match against his longtime rival John Cena before the end of the year. Between Cena paying homage to Edge in the ring on SmackDown, and Edge matching that with a tribute at the All Out pay-per-view not long after, it’s long been thought that these two would square off one more time. Things reached a boiling point in September 2025 when Edge told Christian he was taking time off from AEW.
As much as the wrestling world would love to see this one go down one final time, it’s highly doubtful that two rival companies would play ball, even if it’s to close out the most successful wrestling career of the 21st century.
Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho and John Cena had some iconic matches against each other throughout the 2000s, and having the two square off one final time before the latter’s WWE run ends could be a fitting finish. With Jericho’s status in AEW up in the air, there’s been talk amongst fans that Y2J would return to WWE in the near future. However, Jericho told the Daily Mail (via Denise “Hollywood” Salcedo) in September 2025 that he wasn’t going anywhere for a while.
But again, this is wrestling we’re talking about, and wrestlers will go to great lengths to protect the business and avoid spoiling anything. Will that happen? We’re not entirely sure at this point, which is why Y2J vs. Cena is, so far, in the “less likely” camp.
The Rock
Cena turning hell and teaming up with “The Final Boss” at Elimination Chamber was one of the wildest wrestling moments of the year and quite possibly of all time, but the partnership didn’t really go anywhere. Though The Rock has largely distanced himself from WWE since the big heel turn in Toronto, it would be shocking if he didn’t have at least one more interaction with the man he feuded with for the better part of two years more than a decade ago.
Admittedly, this seems more like a WrestleMania main event than a special streaming event, but maybe WWE could pull it off and make it available for anyone with a Peacock subscription after moving all the PLEs to the new ESPN app. Though it seems unlikely to happen, this is one of the matches that fans want to see, as well as one that makes perfect sense considering how Cena needs to get some payback after The Rock turned him to the dark side earlier this year.
Joe Hendry
Say his name, and he’ll appear. Maybe it’s time for Joe Hendry to take on Cena before the legend wraps up his career. Arguably one of the most over wrestlers of the past five years, Hendry catapulted himself to superstardom with his catchy and over-the-top “I Believe in Joe Hendry” entrance theme and meme-worthy expression. With outlets like Cageside Seats reporting that the former TNA World Champ is being phased off TV to move over to NXT, this is something that could totally happen.
Sure, there are other NXT and WWE main roster wrestlers who are more likely to wrestle Cena before the end of the year, but few could use the rub more than Hendry. He already had a star-making performance against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 41, and this could take him to the next level.
Oma Femi
Oba Femi, who just dropped the NXT Championship to Ricky Saints in September 2025, feels like a star-in-the-making. The Nigerian heavyweight, who made his debut not even three years ago, has quickly risen to the top of WWE’s developmental system and will surely make an impact on either Raw or SmackDown in the months to come, if not sooner. One way to get him to the next level is by having him face off against Cena.
Similar to a young Cena running to the ring to challenge Kurt Angle on SmackDown more than 20 years ago, Femi demanding a match with the soon-to-be-retired former champ would create an iconic and unforgettable moment.
Roman Reigns
John Cena and Roman Reigns have had some slobbernockers over the years, and the two massive stars have had great in-ring chemistry in each of their bouts. Though other wrestlers could use a match against Cena more than the OTC, having these two go at it one final time would be a great “passing of the torch” moment in the nation’s capital.
Reigns hasn’t been champion since his historic title reign came to an end at WrestleMania 40 (Cena helped Cody Rhodes beat him), but getting one over on the man with more championships than any other WWE superstar would be huge and set him up for a great 2026.
Dom Mysterio
As crazy as it sounds, Cena has never won the Intercontinental Championship over the course of his 23-year career. With his scheduled appearances down to the single digits, he’s running out of time to claim the title that’s long eluded him. This means he’d have to wrestle Dominik Mysterio, whose held the belt since a career-defining match at WrestleMania 41 back in April.
Watching Cena take on Mysterio, who’s also the AAA Mega Champion after defeating El Hijo del Vikingo at Worlds Collide: Las Vegas in September, would be a dream come true for a lot of fans. The story writes itself, and Mysterio would go to new heights if he took on the man who beat his father multiple times.
Bron Breakker
Bron Breakker has been one of the fiercest and most electric wrestlers in WWE ever since his debut in NXT a few years ago, and taking on Cena in the wrestler-turned-actor’s final match would further elevate the second-generation grappler. Like Mysterio, Breakker’s career would go to new places if he became Cena’s final opponent.
Not only that, but his dynamic and hard-hitting in-ring style would work really well with Cena’s brand of wrestling, and claiming a victory over one of the greatest of all time would make Breakker look like even more of a monster.
Gunther
No surprise here, but Gunther is the wrestler with the best chance of taking on John Cena in the retiring wrestler’s final bout. While it is true that the former World Heavyweight Champion has been out of action since SummerSlam, December is still a couple of months away, giving him plenty of time to heal before meeting Cena in Washington, D.C.
It seems like WWE has big plans for Gunther, and with the Royal Rumble a little more than a month after the final Saturday Night’s Main Event of 2025, this could be one hell of a way of starting a big push (that hopefully leads to a match with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42). Gunther is destined for bigger and better things, and this could be the way.
As has been the case for decades, anything and everything can happen in wrestling. That said, there’s a really good chance one of these matches comes to fruition.