Arda OcalApr 25, 2025, 07:47 AM ET
The last time is now. John Cena is WWE Undisputed champion.
For the rest of 2025, the biggest storyline in WWE will be surrounding Cena and his quest to bring the title home with him "forever." But what can fans expect until Cena retires and walks away? Well ... we don't know, but wrestling fans love to make predictions and that's what we will do here -- guess what the next several months of Cena's final WWE tenure will look like.
One thing you will notice below is The Rock's absence. Most WWE fans would love to see a Cena vs. Rock match, but it seems unlikely considering Rock's schedule and various obligations. If Rock were able and willing, this could also be a situation where Cody beats Cena sooner, Rock turns on Cena and they have one final showdown. But we do wonder how likely that could be.
As of April 25, Cena has 27 dates left. Let's imagine where things go from here.
May 10 | Backlash: John Cena defeats Randy Orton
Cena beats his old foe in his own hometown of St. Louis, one last time. This match is for the WWE fans who have been following for decades. They get to see two of the best mix it up one last time.
June 7 | Money In The Bank: Jey Uso defeats John Cena (World Heavyweight championship)
This match would only be for Jey's title. Cena would call in a favor from The Rock, wanting to unify both world titles and walk away with both of them. But just as Cena is about to win, Cody Rhodes shows up to spoil the party. Travis Scott brings the advantage back to Cena's camp, only for Bad Bunny to surprise everyone and cost Cena the match, setting up a SummerSlam main event.
July 12 | Saturday Night's Main Event: John Cena defeats CM Punk
The pro wrestling world would be better off if these two had one last match. Put it on network television to boot. Give me piledrivers, Cena-canranas, all the callbacks.
August 3 | SummerSlam: John Cena and Travis Scott defeat Cody Rhodes and Bad Bunny
Given his current level of engagement,Travis Scott needs to wrestle a match. The Rock mentioned Tuesday on "The Pat McAfee Show" that Scott might begin training with Hall of Famer Booker T. I like Cena and Scott winning here, with Cena pinning Cody, to set up a final battle in December.
September | TNA Victory Road: Joe Hendry beats John Cena by DQ
I love the idea of some vehicle for Cena to be able to wrestle newer WWE superstars for the first time, similar to the 2015 "US Title Open Challenge" that saw him wrestle Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, among others. Could that lead him to matches with the likes of Jacob Fatu, Dominik Mysterio, Bron Breakker, Logan Paul, and more?
That could also lead to a huge surprise such as John Cena showing up unannounced at a TNA event. Cena calls out Joe Hendry and they have an impromptu match, title for title. The match ends in a DQ so both titles can stay put. Hendry has an incredibly bright future and has been manifesting a match with Cena. Believe.
November | Crown Jewel: John Cena defeats Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns
This match would be off the chain. Rollins is rapidly earning "greatest in-ring wrestler" status. Reigns has had one of the best runs in WWE history. I also really think wrestling fans would love a back-and-forth on the mic between Paul Heyman and Cena.
December | Saturday Night's Main Event: Cody Rhodes defeats John Cena for the Undisputed championship
The torch is passed in Cena's hometown of Boston. "The Face That Runs The Place" is now cemented and stamped as Rhodes. The American Nightmare pins Cena in the center of the ring and celebrates, holding the championship up high. As Cody exits the ring, the crowd, having chanted "Thank You Cena" and singing "Na Na Na, Hey Hey Goodbye" throughout the match, give one more poetically placed prolonged "Let's Go Cena, Cena sucks" chant building up to an applause. On the broadcast, the audio slowly fades so we can't hear the crowd or commentators, as do the lights on the crowd. A soft spotlight is only on Cena, still motionless in the ring. The words "JOHN CENA" in simple Arial font, white on black, are visible in the camera shot from the entrance, beside a giant number 0, signifying the end of his retirement tour.
John Cena's future after 2025
I secretly hope for a big goodbye party for Cena after his last match, whether it's immediately following his last match or a surprise final appearance on Raw the next night. Everyone appears from the backstage area and has a chance to tell Cena what he meant to them. Superstars, announcers, refs, crew, Cameraman Stu, famous opponents from Cena's past. A celebration of the once-in-a-lifetime career of the greatest WWE superstar ever.
I do believe Cena continues to return to WWE for select appearances. I also believe he will keep his promise and never wrestle again (even if the tiniest sliver of hope will always remain in the hearts of some fans because ... well... pro wrestling).
Cena has earned the right to come and go within WWE. He has earned his place in the 1A spot on WWE's Mount Rushmore. If he wants to feel the roar of the crowd now and again, just for old times' sake, as the trumpets blare in his theme music (and perhaps a new T-shirt and rally towel) wrestling fans will be right there, happy to oblige, wanting to see him.
