CM Punk confirmed himself not all that long ago that WWE is notorious for not having long-term plans for anyone with the exception of John Cena. However, it seems to be the exact opposite of that as WrestleMania 33 quickly approaches and his 'Mania dance partner is not yet apparent.
Granted, we are still two months away from the Show of Shows, but it is typically rumoured months out who Cena will be facing at WrestleMania, and more often than not, those rumours came to fruition. But as of now, there isn't any obvious opponent for him at the upcoming instalment.
Although John Cena is currently in possession of the WWE Championship, that doesn't necessarily mean he will be walking into WrestleMania 33 as champion. Assuming he drops the title at Elimination Chamber next Sunday (and he likely will), here are five potential opponents for him at the event.
#5 The Undertaker
I would have ranked The Undertaker higher on this list had he not teased feuding with Roman Reigns in time for WrestleMania 33 following their face-off at the Royal Rumble. Reportedly, John Cena vs. Undertaker had been pencilled in for 'Mania dating back to last year, but Vince McMahon changed his mind and went with Reigns as 'Taker's opponent instead.
That being said, it isn't too late to shift gears and go back to what was originally planned for WrestleMania between these two. And quite honestly, Cena vs. Undertaker is a much bigger attraction, not to mention fans have been clamouring to see it for years.
If Cena can somehow survive the Elimination Chamber and retain his WWE Championship, he and Undertaker can collide in a Title vs. Career match on the grand stage. It would be a fitting way to end Undertaker's illustrious tenure with the company, to say the least.
#4 Dean Ambrose
It is easy to forget that Dean Ambrose was the premiere pick for SmackDown Live in last year's WWE draft, and behind John Cena, he is the blue brand's top babyface. He had a solid three month run as WWE champion before settling nicely into the role of Intercontinental champion earlier this year.
Ambrose and Cena have clashed on several occasions over the years, even as recently as last fall when they were both contending for the WWE Championship. In fact, Ambrose owns a clean pinfall victory over Cena from an episode of SmackDown, and that bad blood between them still simmers to this day.
Not only would a Cena vs. Ambrose feud promise fans fantastic promos and matches, there could be a storyline reason it with Cena wanting the only piece of gold that has alluded him during his career: the Intercontinental Championship: It could also serve as the catalyst to turn Ambrose heel, which is long overdue.
#3 Baron Corbin
Not many fans expected Baron Corbin to become a prominent player on SmackDown Live when he was drafted to the blue brand last summer, but he has really come into his own as a monster heel in recent months. From his intimidating presence and excellent mic skills to his solid in-ring ability, Corbin has all the tools necessary to be a world champion before long.
The only thing he needs now is a main event-level program, and pairing him off with John Cena at WrestleMania would certainly cement him as a top-tier talent. Although their latest encounter on SmackDown wasn't anything too special, I'm certain they could produce magic with more time and more storyline support. Corbin winning wouldn't be too likely, but simply sharing a ring with Cena on the one year anniversary of his WWE debut would elevate him to that next level.
#2 AJ Styles
While it might seem odd that I'm suggesting John Cena face the same man he is fresh off feuding with, there is no denying they are remarkable rivals. Each of their encounters has been absolutely exceptional, so honestly, who would be against them going at it one last time?
The last time we saw them square off, Cena conquered Styles at long last to become a 16-time world champion. At Elimination Chamber, they will be opponents yet again, and there is a decent chance Styles could come on top with the title in tow.
If this does indeed happen, or even if Styles costs him the championship, having the two rekindle their rivalry at WrestleMania would be the best use of both men. Perhaps putting them in a stipulation match of some kind (Iron Man, anyone?) would allow them to blow off their feud in grandiose fashion.
#1 Shinsuke Nakamura
Needless to say, this is a long shot compared to everyone else on the list, but as we have come to learn as WWE fans, anything can happen on the road to WrestleMania. And you would be lying to yourself if you said John Cena vs. Shinsuke Nakamura wasn't a WrestleMania worthy match.
With Samoa Joe recently arriving on Raw, it might be a while before we see Nakamura surface on the main roster, but it is only inevitable at this point. He just lost the NXT Championship in shocking fashion to Bobby Roode over Royal Rumble weekend, so there is a decent chance he could have some sort of role at WrestleMania.
In terms of how the bout would be built up, Cena could call out anyone on the roster (specifically someone from the “New Era”) to fight him at the Show of Shows and the King of Strong Style would accept the challenge. If you want to make a star out of Nakamura from Day 1, having him wrestle Cena in his debut match at 'Mania would undoubtedly accomplish that.
