A “crazy” gauntlet match that pits John Cena against The Rock on the final night of his WWE Farewell Tour has been proposed.
The clock is ticking on Cena’s retirement tour, and the 48-year-old has just eight confirmed appearances left, including a singles match against Logan Paul at Clash in Paris (August 31). His last hurrah is expected to come in December in Boston, Massachusetts, and two former WWE stars have suggested he run the gauntlet.
Ex-WWE Stars Pitch John Cena’s Final Match To Involve The Rock
John Cena has been busy facing several of his former rivals during his farewell tour, including Randy Orton and CM Punk. He has also feuded with Cody Rhodes, losing his WWE Championship to the American Nightmare at SummerSlam before being hit with an F-5 by the returning Brock Lesnar.
The 17-time world champion turned babyface on the SmackDown show before the PLE after months spent as a heel. He stunned the pro wrestling world when he turned heel and aligned with The Rock, although his run as a villain was somewhat of a disappointment.
Former WWE superstar Nic Nemeth (formerly known as Dolph Ziggler in WWE) and former commentator Jonathan Coachman sat down and discussed Cena’s retirement. They talked up a gauntlet match as the final match of his career, which would allow him to face legends and prospects.
Coachman told Nemeth on Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7:
“What if they throw the seriousness out the window and they have a match where it is technically a gauntlet match, but it’s about six or seven of the biggest names from John Cena’s career that come out. It just clips through about seven guys in about twenty minutes.”
Nemeth replied:
“That’s a really great idea because there are so many people in his past, but then it opens the door to ‘you get a rub’, so like Oba Femi comes out, whoa, we’re putting over NXT, this goes to the record books. Bron Breakker comes out, he (Cena) eats a spear but he barely kicks out and he gets a rollup on him.”
The TNA star continued by suggesting Cena come up against WWE’s current biggest faction, a superstar who is expected to soon be pushed, and two of his longtime fiercest rivals:
“Ahh, who’s coming out next? You get Seth Rollins with his group all around the ring and somebody saves it and they break down. Then you get Carmelo Hayes come out, you’re like ‘what?’ then Randy’s music and then Brock’s music.”
Nemeth added:
“Then you get one last holy s**t moment. He walks out and he’s got the vest on and he’s not even ready to wrestle. He just points or he says ‘one more time, right now’.”
While seeing Cena go up against those six superstars, including Oba Femi and Bron Breakker, would make for compelling viewing, it would pale in comparison to a showdown with The Rock.
The legendary duo have a storied history, having main-evented two WrestleManias, and many feel that the Final Boss let Cena down after his Elimination Chamber heel turn. He was seen as the catalyst of that storyline, but was absent from WrestleMania 41 and has yet to appear since February’s PLE.
John Cena: It Would Be Cool To Face The Rock
John Cena and The Rock are tied at one apiece in singles competition against one another, with both of their battles coming at the Show of Shows. The People’s Champion was the victor in their first match, picking up the win in the main event of WrestleMania 28, which was billed as ‘Once in a Lifetime’.
That turned into ‘Twice in a Lifetime’ when they squared off again at WrestleMania 29, but this time with the WWE Championship on the line. Cena beat Rocky on this occasion to become the new world champion.
The two pro wrestlers-turned-Hollywood megastars have built a close friendship since their rivalry, putting real-life issues behind them. But Cena didn’t rule out a potential third and final meeting in the ring between the two WWE icons.
Cena responded to the match earlier this summer while part of a panel at FAN EXPO Denver:
“Man, it would be cool if John Cena could fight The Rock one more time. That, to me, that would be cool. I’ve survived and kept a level head over 25 years in the WWE by not setting expectations, by showing up every single day, doing what I’m told and asked to do it to the best of my ability.”
WWE could craft an interesting storyline involving The Rock and Cena that blurs the lines between reality and kayfabe, given the circumstances surrounding the failed heel turn. But the Brahma Bull’s movie schedule will likely rule out any WWE appearances for the rest of the year, including a surprise return on the final night of Cena’s Farewell Tour.
