3 John Cena Matches That Must Happen Before He Retires

The multi-faceted actor Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote a song called "One Last Time" for his 2015 hit musical Hamilton. As the song paints the picture of a reflective George Washington at the end of his presidential term, he states that the people need to hear from him and "if we get this right, we're gonna teach them how to say goodbye." It seems that John Cena had the same agenda at Money in the Bank in Toronto as he officially announced his retirement from in-ring competition. This sent shock waves throughout the fandom as they reflected on their memories of the man who once called himself "The Franchise."

From his debut against Kurt Angle as The Prototype to his star-making turn as the Doctor of Thuganomics, Cena gave his all as a star who had endless charisma, astounding athleticism, insane comedic timing, and a desire to entertain fans of all ages. Now that his career is coming to a close, experts and longtime lovers of the former Chain Gang Soldier have been forecasting his last run. Could Cena win a title? Should he finally tap into his dark side? But here is the question that looms the largest: Who will be John Cena's final opponents? Let's explore the possibilities.

Carmelo Hayes

Since his ascent to the main roster, Carmelo Hayes has proven that he is more than capable of holding his own. On his first night at SmackDown, Hayes shot for the moon by challenging Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and went on to challenge other pillars such as Randy Orton, LA Knight, and Andrade.

But when he was getting his start in NXT, Carmelo stepped up to a hot-headed Adam Cole in 2021 and stated that he possessed the energy of Ruthless Aggression! Who else possessed that quality in their debut? John Cena when he stepped up against Olympian and WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle in 2002. Carmelo has so many qualities that Cena had in his youth: hunger, focus, various athletic gifts, and an unwavering belief in himself. They also share the distinction of being wrestling stars from the state of Massachusetts. A story of the generations could be told as Hayes seeks to prove himself against yet another icon, or at his brashest, put a legend on the shelf so that he can shine as the new wave. Cena could want to face Hayes to prove that he could keep up with the pace of today's stars. This match could easily main event in any episode of SmackDown and no matter who wins the bout, history will be made as two supernovas clash in the universe.

Randy Orton

Wrestling has had its fair share of rivalries. There are just some athletes who are just made for each other. It could be argued that John Cena and Randy Orton are each other's one true person. Though their rivalry officially began in Ohio Valley Wrestling, the two men wouldn't face each other on WWE programming until 2007 in tag team action with their partners Adam Copeland (FKA Edge) and Shawn Michaels.

After Cena went on to become WWE Champion, Orton sank to new lows such as attacking John's father to get his attention. They would go on to fight each other in multiple types of matches throughout four years and trade titles back and forth. 2024 marks ten years since their last bout at Hell in a Cell, so how poetic would it be if they fought as an anniversary gift to the fans? Or what if Orton went back to his Viper-like ways and picked a fight with Cena as he was celebrating himself? With this match, we could finally get an answer as to who is the top man in the Big Three of the Ruthless Aggression era. Cena and Orton's rivalry was the thread to many adult wrestling fans and their childhood. What better way to cap off the leader of Cenation's career than to take a trip down memory lane with a great rival?

The Miz

When it comes to consistency in wrestling, there is no better example than The Miz. His in-ring work, charisma, sense of humor, and adaptability make him a great showman that fans never get bored of. His rivalry with John Cena from 2010 to 2011 was a clash of personas: the hard-working good guy who wanted to represent the best of what wrestling was at that time and the guy who wanted the glitz, glam, and fame that comes with being the top guy. But during their feud, there was a large third wheel in the mix: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The action star was kicking off a beef with Cena that made fans wonder if they would main-event Wrestlemania XXVII (27) instead of John and Miz for the WWE Championship.

The Rock interfering in their match in Atlanta caused The Miz to retain his title, but at the expense of most of the attention being placed on The Rock and Cena's bout the next year. As a heel, The Miz could be motivated to stop playing tag team games with R Truth and challenge the man who somewhat overlooked him on his way to gold and higher profile matches. They could have an amazing war of words and Cena could mention that he became the mainstream star that The Miz always wanted to be. There are two large egos between them and watching them go head-to-head during Cena's farewell tour could feed the wrestling and pop culture fandom hugely.

John Cena's heart and soul are in the wrestling business. Watching someone with his passion and ability rise to the top of the industry has been a wonder to behold. Though his career is reaching its end, his farewell tour is set to make sure that no stone will be left unturned. After many titles, tours, premium live events, and colorful t-shirts, Cena is giving fans a last dance that will be revered and remembered forever. His Last Time is Now.