WWE has officially announced that John Cena will compete in his retirement match on Saturday, December 13 at Saturday Night’s Main Event from the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The company has launched a major storyline to determine his final opponent — and there’s already heavy backstage chatter about who might share the ring with the 17-time World Champion in his farewell bout.
The centerpiece of Cena’s farewell storyline is a new 16-man tournament called “The Last Time Is Now Tournament,” which begins next week on Monday Night RAW from Boston, Massachusetts — Cena’s hometown. The opening round will feature Rusev vs. Damian Priest and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sheamus, with competitors representing RAW, SmackDown, and NXT. The tournament winner will advance to face Cena in his final match at Saturday Night’s Main Event in December.
John Cena vs. Dominik Mysterio for the Intercontinental Title?
While Cena’s opponent remains unconfirmed, one rumor gaining traction involves a possible showdown with current AAA Mega and WWE Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter at F4WOnline.com, the idea of Cena challenging Dominik for the Intercontinental Championship has been discussed backstage. The rumored creative pitch would see Cena defeat Mysterio to win the title, then lose it to GUNTHER at Saturday Night’s Main Event, potentially using the moment to pass the torch on his way out.
Sapp noted that talks about Cena’s involvement with championship gold began after Seth Rollins was forced to vacate the World Heavyweight Title several weeks ago due to injury. However, Sapp also added that he wasn’t certain how deep those conversations went and doubted WWE has finalized a concrete plan for Cena’s retirement beyond the basic framework of the tournament.
WWE Purposely Teasing AEW Stars for The Last Time Is Now Tourney?
Adding another twist to the story, Cena hinted during a video announcement at last weekend’s Saturday Night’s Main Event that the tournament could include non-WWE wrestlers, sparking speculation about who might appear.
On the latest Wrestling Observer Radio at F4WOnline.com, Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez noted that WWE has deliberately teased the idea of major names from outside the company entering the tournament — including AEW’s Adam Copeland and Chris Jericho.
Both men, of course, have deep history with Cena. Jericho was one of Cena’s earliest major rivals during the Ruthless Aggression Era, while Copeland (formerly Edge) shared one of the defining rivalries of Cena’s entire career, headlining multiple pay-per-views together.
Meltzer and Alvarez were quick to point out that appearances by Copeland or Jericho are “highly unlikely” given their active AEW contracts. However, they noted that WWE is intentionally using those teases to generate buzz around Cena’s retirement storyline — playing into nostalgia and the crossover speculation that fans love to discuss online. Meltzer mentioned Matt Cardona as a more realistic potential “outside name” if WWE truly intends to include a non-contracted participant in the tournament.
John Cena’s Final WWE Raw Appearance Set for Boston
Before his career officially comes to a close, John Cena will make what’s being billed as his final-ever WWE RAW appearance on Monday, November 10, live from Boston. The show will serve as both a celebration of Cena’s two-decade run and the official kickoff for “The Last Time Is Now” tournament.
With legitimate retirement buzz, the lure of a possible Intercontinental Title match against Dominik Mysterio, and WWE teasing major crossover possibilities with AEW legends, Cena’s farewell run has quickly become one of the most talked-about stories in wrestling.
All roads now lead to Saturday, December 13 at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, D.C., where John Cena will step into the ring for the final time, closing out an era that helped define modern WWE.
Make sure to join us here next Monday night for live WWE Raw results, including the opening round matches in “The Last Time Is Now” tournament, and again on 12/13 for live WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event results, including John Cena’s final match in WWE.
The Last Time is Now Tournament kicks off NEXT WEEK on RAW!
Who will be John Cena's final opponent? 👀 pic.twitter.com/EZeInvnnTv
— WWE (@WWE) November 4, 2025
