John Cena's wildcard WrestleMania opponent would be "disappointing," says veteran
John Cena's in-ring return is set for the 2025 WWE Royal Rumble. If he walks out of Lucas Oil Stadium with the third Rumble victory of his career, he can choose between Cody Rhodes and Gunther for WrestleMania 41.
The potential bouts have divided fans, with the fans seemingly in favor of John Cena vs. Gunther. Another possible opponent that became a topic of conversation since last year's Show of Shows was The Rock. They met in the ring during the main event of Night Two when Cena was out to assist Cody Rhodes while his former rival was there for The Bloodline. Jim Cornette feels The Rock vs. John Cena III would be "disappointing."
Cornette acknowledged the potential box office numbers the match would generate on his podcast, the Jim Cornette Experience. However, completing a trilogy in 2025, when the last bout between them happened 12 years ago, is not very intriguing, especially because they are both at the twilight of their careers. Furthermore, the veteran stated that either men losing would be a "bummer":
"It would probably be big as a draw, but it's somewhat disappointing in the end because you're comparing to something that happened 20 years ago [12 years ago]. Somebody has got to lose that one, and, unless Rock went full-fledged heel on that one again, it would be kind of a bummer if either guy lost," Jim Cornette said. [From 1:52 to 2:12]
John Cena and The Rock headlined two WrestleManias back-to-back, in 2012 and 2013, with each man scoring a win. WWE cites their final encounter as a passing-of-the-torch moment.
CM Punk would like to face both John Cena and The Rock after 12 years
During the RAW Netflix premiere post-show, CM Punk addressed the returns of John Cena and The Rock. The Best in the World also acknowledged the upcoming Royal Rumble, where he could meet Cena in the ring.
Although he acknowledged that facing either The American Nightmare or The Ring General is his logical next step, he is interested in facing his former on-screen rivals. These three men were a huge part of the last decade before newer talents came along and took over.
"I think I want gold around my waist, but those two names come with big fat paychecks. So, I'm not gonna say no to it. It could be interesting. I wouldn't say no to it. I'm into the big high-pressure money situations, that's when I come alive. I definitely owe The Rock. I definitely owe John [Cena]. Yeah, I would welcome both of them with open arms," Punk said.
It remains to be seen who will face whom this WrestleMania season. John Cena's father recently opined regarding his son's possible opponents, leaning towards the more popular sentiment, that Cena should face Gunther.
If you use any of the quotes, please credit the source and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.
