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- John Cena gets the crowd excited Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, during WWE WrestlePalooza at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Credits: © Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

John Cena’s Final Opponent: Who Will Retire The Face That Runs The Place?

Originally posted on Total Apex Sports | By Fahad Hamid | Last updated Oct 7, 2025 10:23 AM ET

Ever since John Cena crashed WWE’s Money in the Bank party last year to announce his impending retirement at the end of 2025, the wrestling community has been buzzing like a downed powerline. The big question on everyone’s mind: who gets the monumental honor of sending the 17-time World Champion into the sunset?

Cena’s farewell tour has already been a trip down memory lane, featuring bouts with old frenemies like Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes. He’s even got a dance scheduled with the phenomenal AJ Styles at Crown Jewel in Perth. But the grand finale, the last chapter in the book of Cena, might be against a force of nature he’s never faced one-on-one. And let’s be real, a tournament arc is the only fitting way to decide this.

Is Cena’s Final Boss “The Ring General”?

Whispers from the wrestling world, notably from the ever-reliable Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, suggest that the man chosen to retire the legend is none other than “The Ring General” himself, Gunther. This isn’t just some new rumor, either; outlets like WRKD Wrestling have been sitting on this juicy tidbit since July.

According to Meltzer’s sources, the plan involves a tournament, likely announced by Triple H, to determine Cena’s final opponent. But it seems the destination is already decided, no matter the journey. Gunther is the chosen one.

If this is true, Gunther is quickly becoming the WWE‘s official legend-retirer. He already put Goldberg on a shelf earlier this year at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Sending Cena packing would be a heck of a follow-up. It’s like collecting Infinity Stones, but instead of cosmic gems, he’s collecting the career-ending handshakes of Hall of Famers.

For Cena, the clock is ticking. After his match with AJ Styles, he’s only got four dates left on his WWE calendar: a couple of Raw appearances in November, a stop at Survivor Series, and then the final showdown in December. That’s not a lot of time to build a feud, which makes the tournament idea all the more plausible and, frankly, necessary.

What’s Next for Gunther After Conquering Cena?

So, let’s say Gunther does the unthinkable and retires John Cena. What then? The Austrian powerhouse has already had a taste of the main event, holding the World Heavyweight Championship before dropping it to CM Punk at SummerSlam. Since that loss and a few conveniently disclosed injuries, he’s been off our screens.

Retiring another icon would be the kind of momentum that straps a rocket to your back. Could this be the setup for another monumental push? Perhaps a brand switch to chase the one World Championship that has eluded him? Adding Cena to his list of conquests would make him the most dangerous man in either locker room, a certified giant-killer with an undeniable claim to any title he sets his sights on. The man would have more credibility than a notarized document.

Or Could It Be an Underdog?

While Gunther seems like the logical, almost poetic choice, other names are being thrown into the ring. Mark Henry, a man who knows a thing or two about fake retirement speeches and emotional face-offs with Cena, has a different idea. He’s championing a dark horse: Joe Hendry.

Speaking to TMZ, “The World’s Strongest Man” argued that if Cena really wants to give back to the business, he should use his final match to elevate a rising star. He drew a perfect parallel to Cena’s own “Ruthless Aggression” debut against Kurt Angle, a moment that instantly established him as a future player. It’s the circle of life, but with more body slams.

Henry believes Hendry is the perfect candidate. The Scottish star, known for his ridiculously catchy theme song and growing popularity in NXT, is expected to sign a full-time WWE contract in 2026. A victory over John Cena, even in Cena’s last match, would be a career-defining moment. It would be less of a passing of the torch and more like being handed a lit stick of dynamite.

So, will it be the established monster Gunther, solidifying his legacy as the ultimate final boss? Or will it be the charismatic up-and-comer Joe Hendry, getting the rub of a lifetime? Either way, John Cena’s final match is shaping up to be more than just a farewell; it’s a history-making event that will anoint a new king. No pressure, guys.

This article first appeared on Total Apex Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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