5 Superstars that John Cena must face in his retirement tour after CM Punk

John Cena's ongoing Farewell Tour has been a treat for fans, to say the least. While he is set to face CM Punk at Night of Champions, several other stars could make great opponents after his feud with his long-time rival.

Fans were in for an emotional ride when John Cena announced his Farewell Tour last year. However, Cena shocked everyone when he turned heel at Elimination Chamber 2025. He then defied the odds and dethroned Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship, and later had memorable matches against Randy Orton and R-Truth (now known as Ron Killings).

The 17-time World Champion's next challenger will be CM Punk, who will try to dethrone his arch-nemesis at Night of Champions 2025. With several months left in his ongoing retirement tour, here are a few names Cena must face before the end of the year.

#5. AJ Styles

AJ Styles and John Cena's rivalry at the beginning of the former TNA star's WWE run excited everyone in 2016. The two stars had a memorable trilogy, culminating at WWE Royal Rumble 2017. Fans might remember this was the match after which The Cenation Leader became a 16-time World Champion, tying Ric Flair's long-standing record.

It has been seven long years since their last confrontation, so fans will love to see them square off one final time. The Phenomenal One is currently a babyface, which could make his rivalry against John Cena likely to happen soon after the CM Punk feud ends.

#4. John Cena must face Kevin Owens in his retirement tour

Kevin Owens delivered one of the most memorable main roster debut matches in 2015 when he appeared on the main roster as NXT Champion to challenge The Greatest of All Time. Moreover, he won the match, sending a strong statement to the entire roster.

Unfortunately, Kevin Owens is currently out with a serious neck injury, and the timeline for his return is unclear. Fans can only pray that The Prizefighter will return in time for one final battle with his first-ever opponent on the WWE's main roster.

#3. Edge/Adam Copeland

One of the most iconic rivalries in the Ruthless Aggression Era featured Edge and John Cena, who battled under several stipulations and delivered amazing matches every time they faced one another. The two instantly became the main event whenever they were booked to battle each other. Their longtime rivalry also involved stars like Big Show, Lita, and Randy Orton.

As good as a final installment in this legendary rivalry sounds, it is unlikely that fans will ever get to see another clash between the two, considering Edge now works for rival promotion AEW under the ring name Cope. However, we should never say never in wrestling, so there might be a slight chance of the two veterans battling it out again.

#2. The Rock

A potential match against The Rock would be something realistically possible, considering that Cena originally turned heel when he sold his soul to The Final Boss at Elimination Chamber 2025.

The Greatest of All Time was a babyface for the majority of his career, so he will likely turn back to being a good guy before retiring at the end of the year. If that happens, he must face The Rock to put the villainous authority figure in his place, once and for all. The two have had iconic battles in the past, so fans will be in for a dose of entertainment if they battle it out one final time.

Considering their age and successful Hollywood careers, the company could also advertise their confrontation as both stars' final match.

#1. Brock Lesnar

One of the most memorable rivalries in John Cena's career started when Brock Lesnar returned to the company after eight years away to lay out a challenge. The two battled in a brutal match where The Cenation Leader picked up a shocking, hard-fought victory.

The two battled once again in an iconic match at SummerSlam 2014 as John Cena became the first ever victim of the Suplex City, suffering 16 German Suplexes in a single battle. Considering this legendary history, the two must again battle before hanging up their wrestling boots.

While the confrontation is currently unlikely due to Brock Lesnar's name being involved in controversial allegations against Vince McMahon, a return might not be out of the question. Hopefully, fans will see The Beast vs The Greatest of All Time one final time this year.

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