A hot WWE Raw saw two of its stars claim their rightful spots in the John Cena “The Last Time Is Now Tournament” second round, after going through their respective hard-fought battles. Monday night pitted Rusev against Damian Priest, as well as Sheamus and Shinsuke Nakamura for a shot at being the “Never Seen 17’s” final opponent at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13th, 2025.
All these four men fought tooth and nail to secure this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But in the end, it was almost poetic that Sheamus and Rusev came out of their respective bouts with their arms raised high. Sheamus would knock off Nakamura with a Brogue Kick, while Rusev would try to decapitate Damian Priest with a Macha Kick to secure the W. We say it’s poetic because these two men had had some storied confrontations with John Cena.
Sheamus won his first WWE Championship by defeating Cena in a Tables Match at WWE TLC 2009, while Rusev, who’s also on the hunt for the Intercontinental Championship for the better part of 2025, would have one of his most high-profile matches with the “Cenation Leader” at WrestleMania 31.
Both men have their own reasons regarding why they want to be John Cena’s final opponent: an opportunity of a lifetime and one last chance at revenge.
The John Cena “Last Time is Now” Tournament first round continues this Friday night on WWE SmackDown!
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