John Cena’s Final Opponent: WWE Legend Throws Out Wild Card Pick for Retirement Match

John Cena’s retirement tour is winding down, and the wrestling world can’t stop buzzing about who’ll get the honor (or burden, depending on how you look at it) of sending the 16-time world champion into the sunset. With only four appearances left before he hangs up his jorts for good, the speculation has reached fever pitch.

You’ve probably heard all the usual suspects thrown around: Gunther (the current favorite and fresh off retiring Goldberg), Dominik Mysterio (because nothing says “career-defining moment” like losing to a guy whose dad you feuded with), Edge, and Brock Lesnar. But here’s where things get interesting—Natalya just tossed a complete curveball into the mix.

Natalya Predicts The Miz as Cena’s Retirement Match Opponent

During a recent appearance on the Busted Open Podcast, the third-generation star made a case that honestly caught everyone off guard. Her pick? The Miz. Yes, that Miz—the reality TV star turned WWE Champion who’s been eating pins on Main Event for what feels like forever.

“I’m going with a wild card,” Natalya explained. “I would like to see The Miz. They had such great matches. Their chemistry was so good and in a lot of ways, you know, Miz is one of those hidden…I don’t even know if he’s a hidden treasure, but he’s the guy that if you wanna get something off the ground, in my opinion, you turn to Miz. He’s so reliable.”

She’s not wrong about the reliability part. The Miz is WWE‘s Swiss Army knife—need someone to put over a rising star? Call Miz. Need someone to fill TV time? Miz is your guy. Need someone to take a bump in a suit? You guessed it.

“I think Miz isn’t talked about enough,” Natalya continued. “But I would love to see Miz be one of John’s final matches. If he’s not his final match, I’d love to see him be in the running for one of his final matches.”

Look, I get it. On paper, this sounds about as exciting as watching paint dry in slow motion. But hear me out (and Natalya out, for that matter).

Why The Miz Actually Makes Sense for Cena’s Final Match

The history between these two runs deeper than most people remember. Their first major collision happened at WrestleMania 27, where The Miz—yes, The Miz—beat John Cena in the main event to retain the WWE Championship. Sure, The Rock interfered and Miz suffered a concussion during the match, but a win’s a win, baby.

They ran it back six years later at WrestleMania 33 in a mixed tag match, with Cena and Nikki Bella defeating Miz and Maryse. But beyond the marquee moments, these two have shared the ring countless times throughout their careers, and their chemistry is undeniable.

The Miz is a 21-time champion (if you’re counting every single title reign across all brands, which WWE definitely does when it suits them). He’s a Grand Slam Champion. And despite all the jokes about him being WWE’s perpetual midcarder, the guy can work. He can talk. And he’s been one of the most consistent performers on the roster for nearly two decades.

What’s Happening with The Miz Right Now?

Here’s where timing gets tricky. On the latest SmackDown, The Miz was set to answer Sami Zayn’s United States Championship open challenge. Before he could even make it to the ring, his former tag team partner, Carmelo Hayes, jumped him from behind. Their partnership imploded after they failed to win the number one contender’s match for The Wyatt Sicks’ tag team titles, because apparently losing as a team is grounds for assault in WWE.

With Miz laid out, Ilja Dragunov—returning after 403 days on the shelf—swooped in, answered the challenge, and dethroned Zayn to become the new United States Champion. So Miz is currently wrapped up in a feud with Hayes, which doesn’t exactly scream “main event retirement match opponent.”

The Reality Check Nobody Wants to Hear

Let’s be brutally honest for a second. While The Miz versus Cena would be a perfectly fine match with genuine history behind it, it’s probably not happening as Cena’s final bout. WWE has built this retirement tour up as a monumental farewell, and they’re almost certainly going to go with someone who feels like a bigger deal in 2025.

Gunther makes the most sense from a storyline perspective—he’s the Ring General, the current Intercontinental Champion (or former, depending on when you’re reading this), and someone WWE clearly sees as the future. Having him retire Cena would be the ultimate torch-passing moment, similar to when he sent Goldberg packing at Saturday Night’s Main Event XL back in July.

But here’s the thing that makes Natalya’s suggestion interesting: she’s not necessarily wrong about The Miz deserving a spot in Cena’s final run. Maybe not the final match, but one of those four remaining appearances? That could work. It would be a nice full-circle moment, acknowledging their shared history and giving The Miz one last moment in the spotlight with the guy who helped define his career.

Cena’s Retirement Tour: What’s Next?

Cena’s next confirmed appearance is November 10 on Raw, broadcasting from his hometown of Boston, Massachusetts. You know WWE is going to milk that hometown angle for everything it’s worth—expect plenty of “Boston’s own” references and probably a Dropkick Murphys entrance theme for one night only.

After that, we’ve got three more dates leading up to his final match at Saturday Night’s Main Event in December. The anticipation is killing everyone, and WWE knows it. They’re keeping this card close to their chest, which is smart booking for once.

The Bigger Picture: Legacy and Respect

What Natalya’s comments really highlight is something the wrestling community often overlooks: The Miz’s contributions to WWE. Sure, he’s not The Rock. He’s not Stone Cold. He’s probably not even cracking anyone’s top 20 all-time lists. But the dude has shown up, done the work, and been a reliable hand for longer than some fans have been watching wrestling.

He’s the ultimate professional—someone who can make anyone look good, cut a promo on command, and never complains about his spot on the card (at least not publicly). In an era where wrestlers jump ship to other promotions at the first sign of creative frustration, The Miz has stayed loyal to WWE and performed whatever role they’ve asked of him.

Does that mean he deserves to retire John Cena? Probably not. But does it mean he deserves to be in the conversation and maybe get one quality match with Cena during this farewell tour? Absolutely.

Final Thoughts on This Wild Card Pick

Wrestling fans can be a tough crowd (shocking, I know). The mere suggestion of The Miz as Cena’s final opponent has already sparked heated debates across social media, with reactions ranging from “actually, that could be great” to “please God, no.”