In the electrifying world of professional wrestling, where legacies clash and underdogs rise from the shadows, few storylines promise the raw intensity of a potential showdown between John Cena and Dominik Mysterio. As the 17-time world champion winds down his storied career with a retirement tour that’s captivated millions, whispers from WWE’s creative corridors suggest this dream match could become reality. It’s a collision of eras: the unbreakable hustle of Cena against the sly, crowd-inciting swagger of “Dirty Dom.” Fans are buzzing, insiders are nodding, and the question on every wrestler’s lips is simple—will this be the swan song that redefines both men’s paths?
John Cena’s farewell isn’t just an exit; it’s a victory lap laced with nostalgia and fresh fire. Announced earlier this year, his 2025 retirement tour has already delivered pulse-pounding rematches against icons like Brock Lesnar, who demolished him in a brutal F5 frenzy at WrestlePalooza last weekend, leaving the Cenation Leader battered but unbowed. With only a handful of bouts left—clashing with AJ Styles at Crown Jewel on October 11, and a final curtain call set for December 13 at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, D.C.—WWE is laser-focused on crafting moments that honor Cena’s two-decade reign while propelling the next generation. Enter Dominik Mysterio, the 28-year-old Intercontinental Champion whose heel antics have turned arenas into cauldrons of boos.
The idea didn’t sprout from thin air. Back in August, Cena himself lit the fuse during a heated SmackDown promo amid his feud with Logan Paul, rattling off dream opponents like The Usos, Jacob Fatu, Seth Rollins, and yes—Dominik Mysterio. “Everyone thinks I’m wasting my time,” Cena fired off, his voice a gravelly challenge to the roster. It was a nod to unfinished business, especially since Cena, holder of every major WWE title except the Intercontinental strap, has teased a “Grand Slam” pursuit. Mysterio, clutching that very gold around his waist alongside the AAA Mega Championship, fired back on the Rap on Wrestling podcast: “If you want to come finish your Grand Slam quest… I’m here all day. Every Monday, you know where I’ll be.” The taunt hung in the air like a frog splash from the top rope, daring Cena to step into the Judgment Day’s web.
WWE insiders have taken note. Recent reports from BodySlam Net indicate that a Cena-Mysterio bout is under serious discussion for one of the champ’s final four appearances post-Crown Jewel. It’s not just talk; it’s strategic gold. Bully Ray, the WWE Hall of Famer and Busted Open Radio co-host, couldn’t contain his enthusiasm last week, pitching it as the symbolic capstone to Cena’s run. “I like the idea of a match between [Dominik] and Cena because Dom has so much heat,” Ray enthused, envisioning a no-title grudge match where Mysterio’s villainy could boil over into pure chaos. Imagine the setup: Cena, the eternal hero, storming Raw to reclaim his spotlight, only for Liv Morgan and the Judgment Day to swarm him like a pack of wolves. Dom slips in, banana peel or brass knuckles in hand, and steals the spotlight with a cheap shot. The heat? Volcanic. The story? A generational torch-passing wrapped in betrayal and redemption.
What makes this pairing sizzle isn’t just the optics—it’s the layered history. Dominik’s rise from Rey Mysterio’s wide-eyed sidekick to the most despised heel on the roster mirrors Cena’s own evolution from rapper-thug to global ambassador. Yet, their paths have tantalizing near-misses: dark match brawls after SmackDown episodes, Cena’s public praise of Dom as “the most famous Mysterio in professional wrestling” post-WrestleMania 41, and that lingering family thread. Remember 2011, when Rey snatched the WWE Championship in a tournament only for Cena to dethrone him hours later on Raw? Dom could frame this as poetic payback, avenging his father’s fleeting glory while cementing his own legacy. “I just want to see him gone,” Mysterio quipped in a June Sneaker Shopping segment, his smirk dripping disdain. Cena, ever the optimist, sees potential: “Dom Mysterio is born for this,” he told Pat McAfee in April, likening him to a young Randy Orton.
Fan forums are ablaze with speculation. On Reddit’s SquaredCircle, threads dissect every angle—from a steel cage bloodbath to Dom pinning Cena clean, catapulting the young star into main-event orbit. X (formerly Twitter) echoes the frenzy, with users like @WrestleOps breaking the internal buzz and @EliteClubS0B hyping it as “pure electricity.” Even Cena superfans rally behind it, arguing it’d eclipse a Gunther rematch in emotional stakes. “This isn’t just a match; it’s cinema,” one post raved, evoking Hulk Hogan-Rock vibes at WrestleMania X8. Critics counter that Dom deserves better than a midcard squash, but that’s the beauty: in WWE’s high-wire act, undercard heat can ignite world-title flames.
If it happens, expect WWE to milk every drop of drama. Picture vignettes of Cena training in Hollywood gyms, flashing back to his 2005 heel days, while Dom trash-talks in tag-team shadows with Damian Priest. The blowoff? A non-title affair at a Netflix-streamed Raw or the D.C. finale, where Cena’s Attitude Adjustment meets Dom’s 619-inspired evasion in a symphony of near-falls. Win or lose, it elevates everyone: Cena bows out with fire in his veins, Dom sheds the “nepo baby” label for good.
As September fades into fall, WWE teeters on this precipice. Triple H, the Chief Content Officer, has a track record of bold swings—Lesnar’s return, Styles’ tease—and this feels like his magnum opus touch. Will Dirty Dom be the villain who retires the hero? Or will Cena’s unbreakable chain snap one last time? One thing’s certain: in a year of goodbyes, this match could be the hello to wrestling’s wild future. Tune in, marks and smarks alike—the rumble’s just getting started.
