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John Cena's WrestleMania 39 plans have been subject to heavy speculation in recent weeks. Ever since reports surfaced of his schedule potentially being free for a program at the Show of Shows, many potential opponents have been fronted. From Logan Paul to Austin Theory to Gunther, everybody wants a piece of Cena.
Neither WWE nor the sixteen-time world champion himself have given any hints as to what is in store for him, opting to let the buzz grow. The Cenation leader is a megastar, so any match he has at the Showcase of Immortals will be worth watching. Some potential clashes, however, are decidedly less fitting of a John Cena match on the grandest stage.
Here are five WWE Superstars The Champ should not face at WrestleMania 39.
#5: LA Knight
LA Knight was one of the WWE Superstars who teased a WrestleMania feud with John Cena on Twitter. The Megastar of SmackDown is one of the foremost mic workers in the company today. Thus, fans naturally got excited about a potential promo battle between him and Cena, who is one of the greatest promo deliverers in the company's history.
While the promo battles would no doubt be engrossing and the match certainly incredible, there just isn't enough story between the two. Compared to facing Gunther to become a grand slam champion, passing the torch to Theory or dream bouts against the likes of Stone Cold, facing Knight isn't as epic. We would absolutely love to see this clash, but on The Grandest Stage Of Them All, there are better options.
#4: Drew McIntyre
Drew McIntyre is arguably the biggest babyface in WWE today. The Scottish Warrior has been one of the most beloved members of the roster since turning face in 2019, winning two world titles since then. He has previously mentioned a WrestleMania face-off against John Cena as one of his dream matches in interviews, but it may not be ideal for the Hollywood edition of The Show of Shows.
Both McIntyre and Cena are huge stars and premier performers, but they should not feud. For one, both are babyfaces, so it would be confusing for fans to pick a side to cheer for. McIntyre turning heel would solve this dilemma, but would hurt the company in the long run who are currently desperately short of top-level babyfaces.
#3: Edge
Edge is arguably the greatest rival of John Cena's WWE career. The Rated-R Superstar and The Cenation Leader battled on every stage from 2005 to 2009, taking each other to the limit multiple times. Fans have expressed a desire to see them go for one last dance before hanging up their boots.
Edge vs Cena is the epitome of a fan service match targeting Ruthless Aggression fans' nostalgia for childhood memories. However, considering that Edge has stated that he may retire in 2023, and Cena has a precious few WWE runs left in him, would this be the best use of both men at WrestleMania 39? We hardly think so.
A surprise one-off clash on The Ultimate Opportunist's farewell tour would achieve the same effect in a much more efficient manner.
#2: The Rock
The Rock and John Cena are THE two biggest WWE-bred Hollywood stars yet to retire from in-ring competition. The two megastars have clashed twice in the ring, main-eventing back-to-back WrestleManias in 2012 and 2013. Having them headline the Tinseltown edition of the Show of Shows would be a huge box office story, on top of settling their rivalry, which stands at 1 win a piece.
However, this would neither further each man's career nor have any effect on the product beyond boosting ratings for the event itself. Both legends have more compelling stories to tell with younger stars who would carry them to a better match than they would with each other.
#1: Cody Rhodes
Imagine Cody Rhodes and John Cena facing off at WrestleMania. Mr. WWE vs. one of the greatest forces behind AEW. The man who was positioned at the top of the Stamford-based empire for the past 15 years, coming up against someone who had to leave and prove himself before returning to the fold.
This would be an epic encounter on many levels, but just like Drew McIntyre, it would require a heel turn from The American Nightmare. Cena is unlikely to turn heel at this point in his career, and Rhodes turning while his babyface momentum is at an all-time high would be risky. Any villainous turn for the latter should only be executed after he has achieved his goal of winning the WWE Championship in honor of his legendary father.
Both men need to face a heel at WrestleMania 39, and neither man is likely to turn to make that happen.
