John Cena was dominated by Brock Lesnar at WWE WrestlePalooza. (Credit: Michael Marques/WWE via Getty Images)
WWE via Getty Images
John Cena will get his wish at WWE Crown Jewel: a match against AJ Styles. But there are still four more potential dream matches on tap for arguably the biggest star in WWE history.
The 17-time world champion now has just five appearances left on his retirement tour, with his next match and appearance, a fourth bout with Styles, set for Crown Jewel on Oct. 11 and his final appearance taking place at Saturday Night’s Main Event on Dec. 13. With Cena on his way out of WWE for good, the company has just a handful of opportunities left to create some magical moments involving “The Champ”.
And according to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t WrestlingNews.co), Cena himself is eager to create new stars prior to his WWE retirement: “John is very unselfish, and he knows on the way out, he wants to make people. He wants to make big stars.”
Even with Styles now crossed off the list, WWE has no shortage of options for Cena to put over a younger star on his way out. Here are the most ideal candidates for John Cena’s retirement opponent at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Dominik Mysterio
You’re probably thinking,”Dominik Mysterio? Really?”
In actuality, however, there is an easy and potentially riveting storyline to tell between Cena and Mysterio. That, however, hinges on whether Mysterio can escape Rusev on this week’s Raw when he defends the Intercontinental Championship. Of course, that is the lone major singles title that Cena has never won, so it would be logical for him to pursue it before he retires.
Cena, the beloved legend, taking on Mysterio, the detested heel, before “The Champ” rides off into the sunset. If Cena wins, he completes the Career Grand Slam. If he loses, Mysterio can brag about retiring Cena, well, forever. That’s a win-win for WWE, and according to BodySlam.net, it’s a legitimate possibility, too.
Drew McIntyre
Drew McIntyre seems to continuously get the short end of WWE’s creative stick, like at WrestlePalooza when he lost to Cody Rhodes in an oddly booked match.
WWE seems intent on keeping the WWE Championship on Rhodes, even rejecting a creative pitch made by Rhodes and McIntyre to have Randy Orton accidentally cost Rhodes the title at WrestlePalooza. If WWE does not have concrete plans to put the WWE Championship on McIntyre, a booking pivot is needed.
With Cena firmly entrenched as a red hot fan favorite, he could face an established top-level heel in his final WWE match. While McIntyre, a former three-time world champion, doesn’t necessarily “need” a win over Cena at this stage of his career, he’s arguably the best overall villain in WWE and certainly worthy of facing Cena in his final match.
Jacob Fatu
Jacob Fatu has essentially vanished into thin air on WWE SmackDown, which has really struggled to create compelling storylines for its midcarders. Yet, anyone who has seen Fatu perform since his debut last year can see he’s a future cornerstone of WWE and a potential world champion.
What Fatu really lacks is a marquee rivalry. Sorry, but Solo Sikoa doesn’t count. Of course, with that, Fatu doesn’t have the signature, career-defining need one needs to rise to that next level. Given that most of SmackDown’s top stars are involved in other major rivalries, WWE could pivot to Fatu vs. Cena as a way to reheat Fatu’s once sizzling character.
If Cena truly wants to pass the torch to a generational-type talent, Fatu is as good of a choice as just about anyone on WWE’s main roster.
Bron Breakker
WWE appears to be setting the framework for Bron Breakker vs. Roman Reigns, perhaps as soon as at Crown Jewel next month.
Breakker is essentially Raw’s equivalent to Fatu as an obvious rising star with unlimited potential and world title aspirations. The only thing truly preventing Cena vs. Breakker happening is the timing, as Breakker could be busy with Reigns for the rest of the year and even into 2026. That would likely end any chance of Breakker vs. Cena.
Then again, with Cena reportedly intent on helping to create new stars as he exits WWE, Breakker, a heel on the rise, is an ideal candidate for that role.
Gunther
After a nearly two-month hiatus from WWE programming following his loss to CM Punk at SummerSlam, Gunther is reportedly returning to WWE programming soon.
Although “The Ring General” doesn’t figure to immediately reinsert himself into the title picture, he could be in line for something even bigger in a feud with Cena. There was a lot of speculation that Cena vs. Gunther was in the cards for WrestleMania 41, and though that obviously didn’t happen, the idea of a dream match between those stars is certainly still afloat.
Cena vs. Gunther, of course, has never happened, making it a true dream match if it does happen. And given that Gunther needs a marquee non-title rivalry while Cena needs a heel opponent, there is no better final foe for Gunther than arguably the best all-around villain in all of pro wrestling.
