John Cena’s Dream Farewell: Why a Seven Man Gauntlet Ending With The Rock Could Be the Perfect Send Off

Wrestling fans love to debate how John Cena should call it a career. Should it be against Randy Orton? Should a new star like Gunther get the honor? Or maybe it should be a Hollywood showdown with The Rock. Recently, Dolph Ziggler threw out a pitch that immediately grabbed everyone’s attention and honestly, it might be the best idea yet.

Speaking on Jonathan Coachman’s Off The Ropes show, Ziggler suggested that Cena’s final WWE match should be a gauntlet. Not just any gauntlet, but one where Cena fights through seven different opponents representing different eras, before standing across the ring from The Rock for one last battle. He even painted a vivid picture of how it could play out. Oba Femi or Bron Breakker could kick things off, Seth Rollins and others could add chaos, and finally, the arena would shake when The Rock’s music hits.

Why A Gauntlet Makes Sense

The idea has quickly spread across wrestling media. Outlets like Sportskeeda, The Sportster, and Yardbarker all picked it up, with many pointing out how well this format would serve Cena’s legacy. It would celebrate his past, spotlight WWE’s future, and give fans a blockbuster finale with the one man who defined his mainstream peak, The Rock.

Cena’s career is too big to be wrapped up in just one match. He has had iconic rivalries with Orton, Punk, Edge, Batista, Brock, and The Rock, while also spending years putting over new stars through his United States Open Challenge. A gauntlet lets WWE pay tribute to all of those phases in a single night.

Instead of just one opponent, the format allows younger stars to share the stage with Cena on his biggest night. Imagine Bron Breakker spearing Cena to near defeat, or Oba Femi tossing him around before Cena claws his way back. That kind of spotlight could do for them what Cena once did for Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.

There is also the practical side. Cena has admitted he does not plan on handpicking one chosen opponent for his farewell. He wants to do what is best for WWE. A gauntlet gives him recovery time between falls, lets WWE control the pacing, and still allows him to look like the Iron Man fans have known him to be.

Booking Seven Opponents Without Chaos

On paper, seven opponents can sound messy, but if it is booked with purpose it could be incredible. Each wrestler should bring something unique to the table.

Start with an NXT powerhouse to set the tone, then switch gears with a quicker talent like Carmelo Hayes. Bring in a veteran like Randy Orton for nostalgia, throw in a Brock Lesnar cameo for shock value, and let someone like Seth Rollins create mayhem with outside interference. Not every fall needs to be long. Some can be flash pins, others can be brutal endurance tests.

By the time Cena is worn down and the crowd is biting on every near fall, you hit them with the big moment. If ya smell. The Rock steps out. Not in a full 20-minute match, just a short but emotional closing showdown. A few heavy shots, a near fall or two, and then a finish that fans will talk about forever. That is the clip WWE wants in every future Cena highlight reel.

Why The Rock Is The Perfect Finale