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John Cena's gone back to Hollywood after his high-profile match with Roman Reigns at SummerSlam. This latest run only added to his legacy as his return significantly boosted WWE's business metrics across the board. Cena didn't miss a beat on the microphone either as he did a tremendous job building hype for the program.
Fans need to appreciate every time The Doctor of Thuganomics returns to professional wrestling since he's becoming a bigger movie star every summer. Cena isn't going to have many more WWE matches and every one of them going forward needs to be with an opponent of significance.
Whether he's chasing a record 17th world title or passing the torch to the next generation, there are a number of possibilities in store for Cena should he decide to wrestle again.
With that being said, here are 5 return matches for John Cena:
#5 John Cena vs. Roman Reigns
This is the most boring option on the list, but Roman Reigns is arguably the biggest star in professional wrestling at the moment. After taking a clean loss at SummerSlam, the story of John Cena looking for redemption against WWE's top dog could be compelling.
The Suicide Squad star might need to jump through a few hoops to warrant another title shot, but this could be an interesting storyline if handled with care. He could even reciprocate and put his career on the line, as Reigns did at SummerSlam. On this occasion, there'd be much more drama in the match as the audience would buy the idea of Cena finally walking away from in-ring competition.
However, Reigns winning this match would serve no purpose as he wouldn't gain anything by being the one to retire Cena. This needs to be a feel-good story where The Doctor of Thuganomics finally overcomes his nemesis and breaks Ric Flair's record.
#4 John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar
Arguably the two biggest stars since the Attitude Era, Brock Lesnar vs John Cena is always a must-watch event.
Their two biggest matches against each other over the last decade were at Extreme Rules 2012, The Beast Incarnate's first professional wrestling bout in nearly five years, and SummerSlam 2014. Cena and Lesnar split these two encounters. The two also have history together as they both trained in OVW (Ohio Valley Wrestling) and crossed paths frequently earlier in their careers on SmackDown.
One final match between the two megastars would sell out a massive stadium. Cena vs Lesnar is a main event that does not require heavy promotion and it could be a perfect sendoff for the leader of Cenation.
#3 John Cena vs. Big E
Over the last couple of years, Big E has broken out as one of the most promising performers in professional wrestling. His WWE Championship win was well received and he looks set to be one of the company's marquee names going forward. He also has plenty of personality and would be an interesting foil for John Cena.
Both men are powerhouses and have performed amazing feats of strength. Seeing them collide in a main event would be spectacular.
If WWE decides to invest in Big E as one of its stars of the future, a program with Cena would go a long way towards establishing The New Day man as a big star.
#2 John Cena vs. Kevin Owens
Kevin Owens made a big splash on the main roster when he laid out John Cena in an electric segment. He has also returned to being one of the focal points of RAW in recent weeks following his heel turn and could even be involved in a WWE Championship program.
With rumors suggesting that the former Universal Champion's contract will expire in 2022, there's every chance that he could jump ship and join AEW. Wouldn't it be perfect for Kevin Owens to go out facing the same opponent he made his name against?
#1 John Cena vs. Seth Rollins
The cream always rises to the top, and Seth Rollins finds a way to return to the main event picture. One of the most talented performers in WWE, he lost his way after being booked poorly during his title program with The Fiend. The audience started to reject The Visionary and forced him to turn heel.
Even though his current character involves a lot of slapstick and has received mixed reactions, Rollins has been booked strongly since being drafted to RAW. His current heel persona would mesh well with John Cena and make for an interesting program. There's also no way these two stars could disappoint inside the ring.
