John Cena’s farewell tour has reached halfway through, and he has been presented as an uncanny heel who has finally put himself first before the fans. While Cena’s run as a bad guy has added a new layer to his character that was never seen in his prime, a major section of the fanbase has criticised the heel turn and claimed it to be a lackluster.
The decision to turn Cena heel was made by WWE CCO Triple H. Moreover, his decision to release R-Truth was also heavily panned, leading to him reversing the decision in a week. With many mistakes under his belt as perceived by others, a blockbuster match at SummerSlam for The Unseen 17 is required by The Game to gain some measure of redemption.
John Cena vs Roman Reigns is the marquee match needed for WWE SummerSlam
John Cena and Roman Reigns are no strangers to each other. Before The OTC made his debut in WWE in 2012, Cena had already established himself as the face of the company. However, upon Reigns’ arrival, it was envisioned by former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon that he would be the one to replace the Cenation Leader as the next poster boy.
After some brief encounters, it was in 2017 that Cena and Reigns squared off in a huge encounter at WWE No Mercy. The Samoan star defeated Cena in a spectacular bout. Following that, Reigns underwent a huge character change in 2020 that fetched him major success, becoming The Tribal Chief.
The duo met each other again in 2021, this time with Roman Reigns in the prime of his career. John Cena, who once held the WWE title for five minutes, made his return after months of hiatus and challenged him for the WWE Universal Championship at that year’s SummerSlam. The showdown was way more captivating than their first match and was, in the true sense, one of Cena’s last great matches as an in-ring performer.
WWE could recreate the electric atmosphere of 2021 by arranging the same match this year at SummerSlam to redeem itself for its recent mistakes. With the King of the Ring tournament underway and a mystery opponent set to compete in the opening round next week on RAW against Sheamus, Bronson Reed, and Rusev, it could be revealed to be returning Roman Reigns.
Roman Reigns vs John Cena – WWE Universal Championship
SummerSlam 2021 pic.twitter.com/C1dFSz8KwC
— WrestleSeek (@WrestleSeek) June 5, 2025
The OTC could enter the tournament and smash through the entire field to become the king. As stipulated, the winner of the tournament will get a shot at the World Championship match at SummerSlam. This could be Reigns’ pathway to a title match against John Cena, who will compete at the event for the last time. A third and final bout between Cena and Reigns will be nothing short of a blockbuster and fitting for a headlining match at SummerSlam.
John Cena has a title match before WWE SummerSlam
Following the end of the WWE Money in the Bank PLE, John Cena opened the June 9th, 2025, edition of RAW. He berated the fans for voicing support for the return of R-Truth and asked for a challenger to step up to him. As soon as he said that, Cena’s rival, CM Punk, made his way out to the ring.
The Best in the World had some heated words, looking at what Cena had become in recent months. Moreover, he proposed to battle the Unseen 17 on RAW for his title. However, Big Match John turned down the offer and shared his vision for this marquee match.
The 17-time World Champion offered Punk a title shot at the 2025 Night of Champions event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Second City Saint did not even flinch and agreed to the championship match, which could be the last time these two iconic rivals square off inside the ring.
Do you agree with how Cena’s story arc is panning out for the farewell tour? Furthermore, will you be excited to watch Cena fight Roman Reigns at SummerSlam 2025? Let us know in the comments section below.
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