Beyond Cenation: Life in WWE After John Cena

The WWE landscape was forever changed this past Saturday. Following his final match, John Cena, defeated by Gunther by submission for the first time in more than 20 years, walked to the locker room one final time. Cena has been the undisputed leader, torchbearer, and captain of the industry for many years.

It isn’t just the influence that he had in the locker room, which will be the most challenging void to fill moving forward. The impact he had on the fanbase is what will be missed the most. 

Now that Cena is gone, the question is: who will be next to pick up the torch laid down by him, just as he did following Saturday Night’s Main Event with his wrist bands, arm band, and shoes? 

This is a transitional moment that requires both healing and an aggressive push toward the future. Which superstars possess the charisma, ability, and marketability to become the next flag bearers? Furthermore, what strategic steps must WWE take to usher in this new era successfully? We will examine the potential candidates poised to attempt to fill Cena’s shoes and the strategic direction the company must adopt to thrive in a post-Cena world.

Oba Femi 

Since joining WWE just over three years ago, Oba Femi has demonstrated immense talent during his run in NXT. One of the most anticipated call-ups in some time, WWE gave us a sneak peek into what Femi could deliver for fans on the main roster this past Friday and Saturday. 

Femi made his debut on SmackDown by interrupting Cody Rhodes, where he delivered an incredible promo that left fans anticipating their bout the next evening. To say Femi got a big pop from fans would be an understatement.

What was most impressive was the fact that, upon Femi’s entrance, fans immediately gravitated towards his character in the snap of a finger. The energy that fans felt on Friday became even more intense the following night during his match with Rhodes, where he displayed superb athleticism and much-needed excitement that he will have the chance to consistently display when he gets called up to the main roster. 

Saturday Night’s Main Event teased the main roster feuds Femi can bring to the table during his interactions with Rhodes and Drew McIntyre. The storyline possibilities are numerous, and his marketability and undeniable presence command attention, bringing something fans can get behind. Femi famously stated of John Cena, “his finish is my starting.” For fans’ sake, let’s hope this is true. 

Bron Breakker 

Bron Breakker joined WWE nearly five years ago and has been on the main roster for almost two of those years. Since his debut, Breakker has demonstrated the potential to be one of the premier stars of the future for WWE. He has consistently showcased his incredible athletic ability and speed, which could provide quality matches for fans moving forward. 

While fans have grown used to seeing Breakker as part of The Vision for most of 2025, the absence of Seth Rollins due to injury has given him the opportunity to shine. Instead of just being the wrestler known for his insane spears, WWE seized the chance to add depth to Breakker’s character. 

Breakker, being aligned with Paul Heyman, gives him the unique opportunity to elevate the persona he has adopted of being explosive, unpredictable, and dangerous. Seeing how popular Roman Reigns as a heel was proves that fans will get behind a superstar with the right combination of talent and appeal. 

The one quality that many have been interested in seeing Breakker develop is his skills on the mic. The last two weeks on Monday Night Raw have seen Breakker show signs of improvement in this area, demonstrating that he has what it takes to be a breakout star of the future, capable of becoming a World Champion and one of the core pieces of the industry.

Cody Rhodes 

Following John Cena’s final exit from the ring this past Saturday, Cody Rhodes was the last wrestler to remain ringside amongst many active and a few former Hall of Fame wrestlers, perhaps reflecting on what this moment will mean for him and the company. 

Since his return from AEW in 2022, Rhodes has been groomed to be the face of the company into the future. Despite many of the 2025 storylines being centered on Cena’s retirement tour, Rhodes has remained in the forefront.

If more clues were needed that WWE continues to push Rhodes as the next face of the company, SummerSlam’s bout between Cena and Rhodes was a massive indicator. Following the ending of the match after Rhodes defeated Cena to regain the Undisputed WWE Championship, Cena handed him the belt and lifted his arm in a sign that many fans would describe as the passing of the torch. 

Rhodes possesses all of the characteristics needed to be the symbolic leader of the WWE universe: in-ring talent, both physical and on the mic, merchandise appeal, and undeniable fan support. Fans who grew up rallying behind John Cena will have an easy transition supporting Cody Rhodes.

How WWE Must Evolve to Thrive Post-Cena 

With 2025 drawing to a close and John Cena departing the ring for the final time, the question looms about what steps the WWE needs to take to usher in a new era post-Cena. Despite not having a full-time schedule since 2016-2017, Cena made annual appearances centered around major PLEs.

He has been adamant, however, that unlike previous WWE superstars, he will not wrestle again. How should the WWE evolve going forward?  

The first step is to push younger talent. One of the biggest problems the main roster, especially the men’s division, is facing right now is a lack of up-and-comers. Many of the top superstars currently are in their 40s, like CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, and Roman Reigns.

It will be important that moving forward, WWE pushes younger stars like Bron Breakker, Oba Femi, and Dominik Mysterio, who are all in their 20s, so that they can elevate and groom these younger wrestlers to take over once the older core roster begins to retire. 

Secondly, WWE needs to start taking more risks creatively. One of the biggest complaints about 2025 is the lack of risky booking decisions. Apart from the decision to turn John Cena heel, WWE hasn’t made many controversial or unexpected moves, which the company is very much lacking. 

To keep fans tuning in week after week and buying tickets to live events, WWE needs to make a return to the Attitude and Aggression Eras from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, which had many shocking promos, intriguing match-ups, and over-the-top ring action that did not involve constant interference. The element of surprise is something the WWE used to do well and needs to bring back.

WWE may face some struggles in the immediate future now that John Cena is no longer available for the company to capitalize on. With the right booking and proper talent development, however, WWE has the opportunity to build an exciting new era for the fanbase.