5 ways WWE could make John Cena win his 17th world title

John Cena has won 16 world titles in his WWE career, which is tied for the record with Ric Flair. But will he win it for the 17th time?

It has been over four years since Cena won his 16th world title. He has taken up a reduced role in WWE since then, and it's highly unlikely that he'll appear at WrestleMania 37.

However, the Leader of the Cenation has confirmed that he will return when he can. He could have one final run in WWE, driven by the desire to win his 17th WWE Championship.

This return could possibly play out at WrestleMania 38 or 39, which is in Hollywood. There are multiple directions the company could go in for his quest to break the world title record.

Here are five ways WWE could book John Cena's road to becoming a 17-time world champion.

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#5 None: John Cena retires at 16 world titles

John Cena and Ric Flair

Many fans think John Cena winning his 17th world title in WWE is a guarantee, but there's a chance that he could retire from the ring before claiming the record. Especially considering Cena is now a part-timer and hasn't wrestled in ages.

The WWE legend is aware of that fact, along with the prospect of him being too busy to ever have a final run with the company. A big moment like the history-making victory would require John Cena to commit to WWE for a few months at a stretch to tell an effective story.

Moreover, the company itself might want to preserve Ric Flair's legacy and keep him joint-top with 16 world titles, possibly so another WWE Superstar could break the record down the line. Somebody who has more of a connection to Flair than Cena ever did.

It does make sense for either Randy Orton or Charlotte Flair to reach 17 world titles in WWE, especially since they are current full-time stars in WWE. The uncertainty surrounding John Cena's in-ring future might let him down when it comes to another world title victory.

#4 John Cena wins with The Fiend's powers

"The Fiend" Bray Wyatt stands tall over John Cena

The last time we saw John Cena on WWE TV, The Fiend decimated him. The Firefly Fun House Match was a cinematic masterpiece and one of the highlights of a unique WrestleMania 36.

However, WWE should incorporate that bizarre "match" into forthcoming storylines. Once Cena returns, he should show the effects of the Fun House on his psyche. Perhaps the 16-time world champion might not be able to think straight anymore, or somebody is controlling him.

The potential of John Cena being a real-life puppet, with Wyatt pulling his strings, sounds like a fascinating idea. It signifies the power of The Fiend, particularly when a WWE Superstar enters his world. Also, this way, Cena can turn heel in an explainable way: he isn't in control.

John Cena could win the WWE Championship after some well-timed distractions and spooks during the title match. Meanwhile, he could try to break free from Bray Wyatt's spell and defend his belt against The Fiend. This would lead to an in-ring match between the two stars that was always intended.

#3 John Cena vs. Randy Orton with both men on 16 title wins

John Cena vs. Randy Orton

Randy Orton had an interesting storyline idea for either him or John Cena breaking Ric Flair's record. During a conference call last year, The Viper suggested a scenario where he would face off with the Leader of the Cenation for the chance to break the record.

Orton mentioned that he would win 16 world titles in WWE, which is not out of the question since he's already a 14-time world champion. He and Cena could face each other at a future WrestleMania for the vacant WWE Championship.

Ric Flair may also be involved in the match, either in John Cena's corner or as the special guest referee. If the company goes ahead with this grand idea, it would instantly become one of the biggest moments in WrestleMania history. Either way, history would be made and The Nature Boy would be there to react to it.

In this scenario, it might make more sense for Randy Orton to win based on his history with Flair. However, one can never count John Cena out in a WWE ring. He could emerge victorious from this ambitious concept, standing tall as the most decorated world champion in wrestling history.

#2 John Cena wins career-threatening matches to become WWE Champion

John Cena is on his last legs in WWE.

If John Cena commits to a few months of regular WWE appearances, the company could create a grand storyline based on his quest to become a 17-time world champion. He could initially be denied a title match, only to get it if he can keep winning.

The storyline could be that Cena puts his career on the line for every match. He could face a few prominent WWE Superstars on RAW or SmackDown, with each match potentially being his last. But the Hollywood star keeps winning until he finally gets a WWE Championship match.

This is a retread of the Ric Flair route in 2008, as his career was on the line in every match leading up to his WrestleMania 24 classic against Shawn Michaels. But in this case, John Cena succeeds and wins the WWE Championship.

If done well, this storyline could be one of the most compelling in WWE history. Cena would deliver on promos every single time, selling the gravitas of this ruling to perfection. After overcoming a series of Career Threatening Matches, he becomes a 17-time world champion.

#1 John Cena turns heel to win his 17th title

This is the final chance to turn John Cena heel.

Is it too little too late for a John Cena heel turn?

That might happen if he returns for a final run in WWE. It's pretty much the company's final opportunity to do the unthinkable and turn the beloved babyface into a villain. There is a lot of scope for Cena to turn over to the dark side.

For starters, he was mentally and physically mauled by The Fiend at WrestleMania 36. John Cena's final actions in the Firefly Fun House Match saw him dress up as Hollywood Hulk Hogan and attack Bray Wyatt, who transformed into Huskus the Pig Boy. The 16-time world champion fell into the trap Wyatt set for him.

Cena could turn heel and cheat to win the WWE Championship, shocking fans in the process. Instead of the story being about The Fiend, he might go on a classic Hollywood heel run. The Rock did so in 2003, and it remains one of his greatest runs during his legendary WWE career.

The former rapper could take inspiration from The Great One and have one hell of a final run. John Cena could even become a part-time WWE Champion and defend the belt once every few months, citing his responsibilities as a big-time movie star. He would still carry the belt around.

The endgame to all of this would naturally be to build a new babyface megastar in WWE. While Drew McIntyre could establish himself as the top face in the company by beating Cena, other stars could also get the rub. Like Kevin Owens, Keith Lee, or Big E.

Turning heel for one final run would be John Cena's parting gift to the fans as he fulfills their ultimate wrestling desires.