John Cena is nearing his final match and the end of his retirement tour with just a few short dates left before he hangs up the boots on December 13 at Saturday Night’s Main Event. It has been an up-and-down 30+ plus dates so far with Cena getting the chance to relive clashes with all-time rivals like CM Punk, Randy Orton, and Brock Lesnar. He also got a run as a heel, which was a little uneven, but has made the last few months all that more bittersweet. While rumors have floated as to who will get the rub as the last man to share the ring with Cena, nothing has been confirmed. WWE did however, announce a special tournament that will get underway on Monday, November 10 to determine who that final opponent will be.
Cena has said the person won’t be handpicked but rather hard-earned. It could be someone he’s faced before or someone he’s stepping into the ring with for the first time. As Cena noted, he wants to leave his last day by giving someone the chance to take the opportunity he took on his first day. 16 men are set to compete in this tournament across Raw, SmackDown, NXT, and perhaps some surprises. Below you’ll find a full list of announced competitors (and their history with Cena), matches, and match results as we await to see who will be win their way to give Cena his last dance.
Check back throughout the tournament for updates.
John Cena Final Match: Full List of Last Time is Now Tournament Competitors and Results
The Bracket
Round One
- Rd 1, November 10: Sheamus vs Shinsuke Nakamura
- Rd 1, November 10: Rusev vs Damian Priest
- Rd 1, November 14: The Miz vs Jey Uso
- Rd 1, November 14: LA Knight vs Zack Ryder
- Rd 1, November 17: Gunther vs Je’Von Evans
- Rd 1, November 17: Solo Sikoa vs Dolph Ziggler
- Rd 1, November 21: Finn Balor vs Penta
- Rd 1, November 21: Carmelo Hayes vs Bronson Reed
Round Two
- Rd 2, November 24: Solo Sikoa vs Penta
- Rd 2, November 24: Gunther vs Carmelo Hayes
Round Three
- Rd 3, December 1: Solo Sikoa vs Gunther
- Rd 3, December 1: LA Knight vs Jey Uso
Round Four
- Rd 4, Gunther vs LA Knight
The Competitors
1.Sheamus (Raw)
- 43 singles matches (including house shows and dark matches) against Cena
- Shared memorable feuds over the World Heavyweight Championship including Sheamus winning his first televised/PPV match against Cena at the first-ever TLC in 2009 to claim the title; Cena regained the title at Elimination Chamber a few months later only for Sheamus to recapture it in June 2010 at Fatal-4-Way; Cena would win the vacant title at Money in the Bank 2014 in a match that included Sheamus
- 8 PPV matches against Cena (including multi-man matches but excluding Royal Rumbles) and one, Elimination Chamber 2013 as his partner (they also teamed in series of house show matches and on Raw that year)
- Last wrestled Cena (excluding 2025 Royal Rumble) in 2018
Thoughts on being Cena’s final opponent via Raw Recap:
“I think it’s very meaningful. Obviously we go back to 2009, we had that match at TLC when I shocked the world and became one of the fastest ever WWE World Heavyweight Champions by beating him, putting him through a table. And that itself launched my career to a whole new level and put me on the map right away…And obviously I’d love to repay the favor for what was done for me. The opportunity to face him, beat him. But I’d love to go full circle, give him the match he truly deserves on the way out, in his last match of his retirement year; I think that’d be incredible…But yeah, I’ve taken two WWE Titles off John. And what better way for him to send ’em off with the banger of all bangers. The GOAT of all GOATs goes out with the banger of all bangers. How about that for a line, mate? Just send him off into the sunset with the greatest match he’s ever had.”
