5 Superstars John Cena should’ve faced in his Retirement Tour but won’t

John Cena has seemingly decided to dictate how the rest of his Farewell Tour plays out, but it might be a little too late, given that The Never Seen 17 only has five appearances left before he hangs up his wrestling boots in December.

Fans have voiced their criticism regarding how the Triple H-led creative team has handled the veteran's final year in WWE as an in-ring competitor. Therefore, they were delighted when Cena ran an online campaign to get a match against AJ Styles. The bout is now official for Crown Jewel.

Cena has already faced several of his iconic rivals, such as Randy Orton, CM Punk, and R-Truth, in his Retirement Tour so far. However, there are some superstars whom fans wished The Franchise Player would face in his final year as a pro wrestler, but due to various reasons, it might not be possible.

Here are five superstars John Cena should've faced in his Farewell Tour, but he most likely won't:

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#5. The Miz

The Miz shares a storied history with The Franchise Player. The two even battled for the WWE Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 27. The A-Lister was the perfect villain for Super Cena. The dynamic between them, the contrast in their characters, and their charisma made the rivalry captivating.

The Awesome One is currently in a tag team with Carmelo Hayes, dubbed 'Melo Don't Miz.' Given the 44-year-old's current position on the roster, it's unlikely that he will face The Last Real Champion before Cena's retirement.

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#4. Rusev

John Cena and Rusev engaged in a fierce rivalry in 2015. The Bulgarian Brute had a vice grip on the United States Championship, and no one on the roster seemed to have an answer until John Cena stepped up to the challenge. The Franchise Player was the one to put an end to Rusev's dominant run as US Champion at WrestleMania 31.

With only a handful of dates remaining before Cena retires, the chances of him locking horns with the 39-year-old are slim. Rusev is set to challenge Dominik Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship next week on RAW. If The Bulgarian Brute dethrones "Dirty" Dom, he could defend the title against The Cenation Leader.

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#3. Sheamus

One of the most memorable moments of Sheamus' career came at John Cena's expense when he dethroned The Franchise Player as WWE Champion in a Tables Match at TLC 2009. The Irish star has been one of the most reliable and consistent performers in the company for a long time, and fans were hoping to see him have another "banger" with Cena before the latter's retirement.

While it could still happen, the current direction doesn't seem favorable for another clash between Cena and Sheamus.

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#2. The Rock should have completed his trilogy with John Cena

When The Rock played a key role in John Cena's shocking heel turn at Elimination Chamber: Toronto, fans believed it would lead to a third match between the icons. The Hollywood megastars headlined two consecutive WrestleManias (28 and 29), locking horns in singles matches, but there hasn't been a decisive winner of their feud, as the scorecard never moved past 1-1.

However, The Final Boss has not been seen since the Toronto event, and there seem to be no plans for the angle to have a payoff. The 53-year-old should have completed his trilogy with The Franchise Player before the culmination of Cena's Farewell Tour.

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#1. Adam Copeland (FKA Edge)

The rivalry between the erstwhile Edge and John Cena is still talked about to this day, and rightfully so. Their feud during the Ruthless Aggression Era helped them cement their place as main event talents.

The Rated-R Superstar is currently signed to AEW, where he wrestles under the name 'Cope.' During the most recent episode of Dynamite, the 51-year-old announced that he had to leave and was unsure if he would ever return. This immediately sparked speculation about the Canadian coming back to WWE to face Cena one last time.

However, given his contractual status with the Tony Khan-led promotion, it's unlikely that we'll see the iconic rivals square off again.