John Cena Addresses Speculation On His Final WWE Opponent

John Cena Addresses Speculation On His Final WWE Opponent originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

John Cena has kept quiet about who will stand across from him in his last WWE match, set for December in Boston, but that will only fuel speculation as the legendary wrestler approaches his final in-ring appearance at the end of the year.

Speaking at the Boston Fan Expo, via the Boston Herald, Cena reiterated that he has never chosen an opponent in 23 years and will approach his farewell bout the same way.

“I’ve been doing this for 23 years, and I’ve never once chosen my opponent,” Cena said. “I’ve always lived by the philosophy that life will give you opportunities every single day, and you have to do the best you can every single day with what life gives you.

“So whoever challenges me for that last match, I’m going to give it my best shot.”

John Cena has revealed his all-time favorite opponents.

“I have a few wrestling soulmates,” said Cena. “Those are Randy Orton, Edge, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, and AJ Styles. But gosh, I can’t take any shine away from Cody Rhodes – add him, too.” https://t.co/Mp4pLeS9bJ

— Boston Herald (@bostonherald) August 11, 2025

Gunther Reportedly Slated to End John Cena's Career

While Cena is careful not to confirm anything, a mid-July report from WRKD Wrestling claimed that Gunther is currently scheduled to retire him.

"Goldberg isn’t the last person that Gunther hopes to retire," the report said. "Gunther is currently planned as John Cena’s final opponent."

Goldberg isn’t the last person that Gunther hopes to retire.

Gunther is currently planned as John Cena’s final opponent. pic.twitter.com/BkqScbBPGh

— WRKD Wrestling (@WRKDWrestling) July 13, 2025

WRKD Wrestling made an interesting point in linking Gunther to the end of Cena's career in a similar fashion to how he dealt with Goldberg, who retired in July.

Gunther played a role in ending Goldberg’s career, and if the Cena report turns out to be right, WWE may be building an angle where the Austrian powerhouse retires multiple legends throughout his career.

Potential Impact of John Cena vs. Gunther on WWE’s Future

The rumored plan would see Gunther face Cena in Boston, mirroring Goldberg’s sendoff in his own hometown of Atlanta. For now, WWE has not confirmed the matchup.

If the plan holds, WWE would be positioning Gunther for a long-term boost, giving him the distinction of retiring two major names in the same year, while clearly bringing the heat from fans as he'd have retired two WWE legends in a span of six months.

For Cena, the choice would add a fresh final chapter to a career defined by battles against some of the company’s biggest stars, giving rising performer Gunther a strong push toward major superstardom.

Related: John Cena Reunites With Former Rival in Surprise WWE SmackDown Moment

Related: John Cena Names Five Favorite WWE Opponents, Quickly Adds Sixth Name

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 12, 2025, where it first appeared.