Predicting the participants in the rumored gauntlet match to determine John Cena's final opponent in WWE

Only a few precious matches remain on John Cena's Retirement Tour. A rumor recently emerged claiming that his final opponent would be decided in a gauntlet match.

If WWE plans to use a gauntlet match to determine his last adversary, it will likely feature six stars. The field dwindles a bit, however, if officials stick to RAW wrestlers for the rumored contest.

If that's the case, the next six WWE performers will likely compete in the gauntlet to determine John Cena’s final opponent.

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#6. Paul Heyman's handpicked star

If officials want to push a future star to the moon by facing John Cena in his last match, the perfect example would be Bron Breakker.

He’s already positioned as a major player for the future as part of The Vision with Seth Rollins and Paul Heyman. He competed in a previous gauntlet match this year but fell short of victory.

If things fall apart within The Vision, entering and potentially winning a rumored gauntlet could be a good way for Breakker to bounce back and regain momentum.

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#5. LA Knight could get a prominent spot

WWE could opt to use stars with connections to John Cena in one of two ways. They might go the route with Bron Breakker and have Cena put over a future star, similar to how Kurt Angle did for Cena during his debut.

The other option is to utilize stars with whom Cena has a history. For example, he teamed with LA Knight to battle The Bloodline two years ago.

The two never squared off one-on-one, but would have had a great promo battle. Knight has also been featured atop RAW since moving to Monday nights, so being involved in the gauntlet match would line up with his usage.

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#4. Jey Uso could cross paths with John Cena

If officials really want to play on recent history, they could opt to have Jey Uso enter and possibly win the gauntlet match and face John Cena.

The Yeet Master and Cena were the final two entrants in the 2025 Royal Rumble. It forced Cena to enter the Elimination Chamber match and eventually turn heel.

The interesting part would be if Cena's final bout would be used to turn Jey heel. He's adopted more of a villainous and selfish streak, thanks to the guidance of his cousin, Roman Reigns.

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#3. Sheamus could revisit his history with a rival

One star who hasn’t faced Cena yet, but has a great history with him, is Sheamus. The Celtic Warrior won his first world title by defeating The Leader of Cenation.

Sheamus hasn’t been on RAW much lately, as he hasn't factored into creative plans for Clash in Paris or Crown Jewel.

While he seeks the elusive Intercontinental Championship missing from his trophy case, one last encounter with one of his greatest rivals would be a good consolation prize.

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#2. Rusev could gain redemption

Sheamus isn’t the only rival from Cena's past that could be used in a potential gauntlet. Rusev was on fire as the United States Champion until he faced John Cena.

Some fans argue that The Bulgarian Brute lost all his momentum after crossing paths with the 17-time champ.

Since he’s returned to WWE and Cena is retiring, officials could give Rusev the rub by having him face and potentially defeat Cena in his final match.

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#1. Gunther could resume his spot atop WWE

Gunther is the star rumored to be getting the honor of facing John Cena in his final match. The Ring General is the prototypical foreign heel that John Cena used to fight during the earlier stages of his career.

He's also a former World Heavyweight Champion and the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion. Gunther had a tough year, losing the World Heavyweight Title twice.

Beating John Cena in the WWE legend's final match could be a way to help repair some of the damage done to his mystique.