The Battle in Boston: Booking Carmelo Hayes vs John Cena in His Final Match

For anyone who hasn't read it yet, the companion piece on why Carmelo Hayes should retire John Cena in December of this year is already available and explains why he, and the GOAT, need to face off. This is how WWE could book Carmelo Hayes vs. John Cena in the most realistic way possible. As with all bookings done for a promotion outside of their writers' room, there are some things we do not yet know and will need to assume.

Those assumptions are that Saturday Night's Main Event will be a big show for John Cena's last match in Massachusetts, where Cena is from, and that the exact number of finite appearances he has left may very well be a "ballpark" number that WWE can negotiate to a degree. So, from this weekend's SummerSlam to the franchise's farewell, how do you get to Cena v Hayes?

SummerSlam and John Cena's slow return to the light

John Cena is not walking out of SummerSlam as champion, no matter what. The way they built up to the John Cena heel turn was confusing before. With news of Travis Scott falling out with WWE and The Rock being MIA, the story would likely make even less sense. There is a better John Cena turns heel to win his 17th title story to be told, but that is for another time. For now, something is going to happen to send John Cena home from New Jersey without the title.

Elsewhere in the WWE Universe, SummerSlam has two dates and six hours of preshow time to fill. They have once again elected not to give any of that time to Carmelo Hayes, which plenty of fans have noticed. After an entire Saturday night passes, one that may even include a last-minute change in personnel, Melo is interviewed on the post-show and is asked to share his opinion, as an outside observer, on the show's impact on the future of SmackDown. Hayes looks at his interviewer and leaves. Then, right as the show transitions from preshow to main card, Hayes interrupts and comes out with the commentary team. He cuts an angry promo on disrespect before production turns his microphone off, which he laughs about, and walks out of the arena through the adoring crowd.

A Clash at the Castle features Carmelo Hayes and John Cena separately

Assuming the injuries are all real, Cody Rhodes displays his own Ruthless Aggression to win the title, and on the following SmackDown, vows that he won't hesitate to defend this belt and his legacy ever again. John Cena and Randy Orton take exception to this, and to one another, both wanting to challenge the WWE Champion. The match is set with the rationales linked. Cody doesn't want to lose the belt he worked so hard for again. Randy knows that he only has a limited number of titles left at his age. John Cena shockingly admits that he wants to compete in Perth, and that the Crown Jewel Title fight is the biggest match on the card. When they get to Perth, Cena loses, but is not pinned. Instead, he cheats to take out Orton, but Cody low blows him before running over to pin Randy.

Melo, meanwhile, is reprimanded for his stunt, first by Nick Aldis, then by Triple H. Aldis decides that if Hayes has a problem with his management style, then he can say it to him directly in the ring. Returning overseas to a wrestling ring, Nick Aldis vs Carmelo Hayes is made official, and the two build up to a British Rounds style match at Clash between them. Nick Aldis goes to NXT for a match or two against former NXT Heritage Champions, while Melo works the microphone running down Aldis, management, and the golden circle keeping him down. In what appears to be a setup for a tale of hard work beating talent, Melo pulls out a clean victory in the final moments of the sixth round.

Last Appearance on Raw (Lowell, MA)

John Cena, having failed again, gets candid. He praises Rhodes, saying he knows better than most how hard it can be to let that cruel instinct take control. He tells the fans he has contemplated skipping Crown Jewel altogether. However, he admits that it would only delay his exit, so instead, he is issuing a John Cena Open Challenge tonight for a match with him at Crown Jewel. Some of the all-stars Cena faced at that time in his career came out: Rusev, Sami Zayn, Ron Killings, TNA's Nic Nemeth, and a surprise appearance by Matt Cardona. Then Grayson Waller and Carmelo Hayes arrive, taking exception to these indie guests. Cena participates in a gauntlet match amongst them, with himself serving as the guest referee.

Carmelo Hayes starts in the ring with Ron Killings, who seems more interested in Cena than in him. Next comes Grayson Waller, and the heels wrestle in a safe style to maintain themselves for whoever they face next. John Cena finds the match boring and starts getting involved, angering Carmelo Hayes while forcing him to up the ante. Melo outlasts Waller, and starts talking smack to Cena. Matt Cardona is out next, and he grabs a schoolboy on Melo while Melo and Cena are talking, falling victim to a fast count. Ultimately, it is Rusev who emerges victorious in the match. Cena and Rusev build to a throwback match while Waller and Hayes extend their grievances to Cardona and Nemeth for the next few shows.

Crown Jewel and the start of Carmelo Hayes vs John Cena

Cena and Rusev have the first match of the night, and they beat one another to oblivion for the Australian crowd's delight. Then, in a shocking moment, Cena hits Rusev with an Avalanche AA that breaks the ring apart and ends their match, the first match of the night in a no contest. The crew scrambles to put the ring back together, and WWE officials announce that, due to the time needed to address the ring issues, the tag team match between Matt Cardona and Nic Nemeth against Carmelo Hayes and Grayson Waller is cancelled. Byron Saxton goes live backstage, allowing fans to watch Grayson and Melo batter their would-be opponents. The brawl spills into the crowd and ends with Waller and Hayes standing tall, despite not having an actual match.

In the aftermath of the show, specifically on Raw the next night, Hayes and Waller get the match under Extreme Rules. The Indie King Cardona puts on a valiant effort, but Hayes pins him to end their month in WWE, a point he makes post-match. Then he makes a point about Waller being a snake that he doesn't need to put up with, wishes him well, and has a debuting Trick Williams jump him, reforming TrickMelo and adding new allies. Throughout October, Cena is rarely present, focusing on other projects and pre-taped interviews reflecting on his career and its conclusion. This all sets the scene for his full-face turn.

Friday Night SmackDown (Nov. 14)

John Cena makes an appearance on SmackDown, talking to the WWE Universe. He knows how this last year has been, and he knows that his quest for 17, one last ride as the World Champion, consumed him. He also says that as a younger man, he could carry that belt without breaking, but he felt its weight this last time. He says he has one more thing to accomplish before he retires for good, and unlike 17, he wants the fans with him. So he challenges AJ Styles to an IC title match for the next episode of Raw on Netflix. AJ's music hits, but out walks TrickMelo and NXT's Tony D'Angelo and Ricky Saints, dropping a decimated Styles at their feet. Melo says it is past time for Cena and all his uncle's favorite wrestlers to bow out because they can't survive in this business, then they attack Cena.

Building to Survivor Series, Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed form a pact with SmackDown's New Blood. AJ Styles looks for allies amongst the veteran stars with beef against them. It is slow going, but eventually the Melo team of six has five opponents for the "New Generation WarGames". Cody Rhodes is being toyed with as a possible last man, and Breakker and Melo actively try to take him out on the go-home show. Meanwhile, AJ Styles has been advocating for somebody else, but the rest of the team is hesitant. Finally, the team of AJ Styles, CM Punk, Roman Reigns, Randy Orton, and Rey Mysterio has been decided. While the heel team surrounds Cody, they announce John Cena as the last man.

Survivor Series is the stand-off for a new era of wrestling.

The WarGames match allows younger talent to shine, while the older talent struggles to keep up with the power and speed of the heels. Melo starts the match with AJ Styles. One by one, the rest of the team filters in until the final member and the guy who kicks off the WarGames proper, John Cena, enters the fray. This saves the star for a chaotic finish while the rest of the superstars carry the brunt of the match's moments. While Cena is now absolutely a face, he is still willing to look for the easiest plan, rather than just powering through. Commentary highlights this, noting that his run with 17 changed how he planned for a fight.

This is a real WarGames, one with stakes and generational implications. The finish hits when Cena hits Trick Williams and Ricky Saints with a double AA. D'Angelo looks to blindside big match John with a kendo stick, which Cena reverses into an STF, and the rest of the team runs interference, giving Cena the big win. Melo seethes over Trick, realizing that a cadre of old vets and longtime rivals officially put down his new generation. He leaves the ringside alone, leaving his team behind.  

Last Appearance on SmackDown (Dec. 5)

John Cena comes out for his last SmackDown, looking to address the elephant in the room: who will get his last match? First, he asks for some time to go over his entire run. He recaps the year he had. He acknowledges the ups and downs but maintains he wouldn't change any of it because the best last rides are the wild ones. Then Cena gives insight into the future of the business he is leaving behind. He talks about the state of the company, the champions, and the friends he is leaving behind. Then he talks about the many faces that are poised to carry the company, and how he wants his final match to be in service to them, as well as his fans.

Before he can continue, Carmelo comes out alone. He runs down a list of names, the heroes who could be the next John Cena for years to come. Hayes slides into the ring and accuses Cena of playing it safe in his goodbye match. Looking to pass the torch to whoever the corporate kingmakers think can give his Make-A-Wish run a real challenge. John Cena tells everyone one last story, about a brash kid from outside of Boston who was nobody's hero. He was ignored, almost let go, and despite possessing all the talent in the world, nobody believed he could be the one at the top. This brash kid had only one thing going for him at the start, one attribute to rely on, but he had it in spades: "Ruthless Aggression." After that, John Cena slaps Carmelo Hayes in a call back to his big moment and says he will see him on Saturday.

Final match: The Boston Massacre on Saturday Night's Main Event

WWE announces that, at John Cena's request, following social media promos by him and Melo, this match, his last match, will not be a regular singles fight. It will be a last-man-standing match. Melo cuts a promo about how Cena is going to go out on his back, just like they always do. John Cena tweets out, "It's HIM or ME this time, and I plan on WALKING away tonight." The two men who have circled in each other's orbit for an exceptionally long time are now set to face off. Both men get exaggerated entrances proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that this match means something, and the winner of this match means something.

They work a competitive and technically skilled match to start, which Carmelo dominates. Commentary highlights how Hayes is a gifted athlete and a technically proficient fighter who is significantly younger than Cena. Still, big match John takes everything that is dished out to him in true Super Cena fashion. When the fight spills out of the ring, though, Cena starts to take control. Commentary again highlights experience, noting that Cena is still pound for pound one of the best scrappers in the WWE today, a quality that even the most skilled athlete cannot overcome in a fight. As if on cue, though, Melo does mount a comeback. Then, a move through the announce table from the top turnbuckle has both men laid out; both struggle to get up for the 10-count. By a count of eight, Melo is up, and Cena appears right behind him. Then he gives up, losing the match because he couldn't make the count.

Carmelo Hayes vs John Cena Epilogue:

John Cena does get up. He looks at Melo and nods before looking at the crowd. Hayes starts to walk away, but Cena stops him. "Hell of a fight, young man, you must be from Boston," which pops the crowd. Hayes smirks and nods. Then he hits John Cena's patented "You can't see me" signature before heading backstage. John Cena takes this opportunity to thank the fans, as his friends and coworkers come out to show their support. The only guy who isn't out there is Carmelo Hayes. When asked about that in the press conference, Cena replies, "He didn't need to come out and talk with me, he said everything he needed to say to me and then some tonight...I only hope the rest of this place was paying attention. If not, well, they can't see HIM coming".