John Cena’s Father Suggests Gunther As His WrestleMania Farewell Opponent

With 2025, John Cena’s illustrious WWE career is going to come to a close, as it has been announced that this will be his final year as an active in-ring competitor. Speculation has gone into overdrive with the 16-time world champion on his farewell tour as to who he will face at his last match at WrestleMania 41. Now, his father, John Cena Sr., has made a surprising statement, claiming that Gunther is the perfect opponent for his son’s WrestleMania swan song.

The Father’s Choice

In a recent interview with Sportskeeda’s Bill Apter, wrestling legend and beaming, proud dad John Cena Sr. chimed in with his thoughts on who his son might face off against at WrestleMania 41. The opponent he chose was the dominant Intercontinental Champion Gunther13.

“I think you got two young men in there, and John’s still young, two different styles,” Cena Sr. said. “Gunther, if you look at his style, it’s more Greco-Roman; he’s right in there and does those smart wrestling snap moves when John is more about getting in, doing his thing, and making the win. I think it would be very interesting; I think they would complement each other. I think that would be one heck of a competition.

More so, Cena Sr.’s explanation far exceeded the likelihood of having an entertaining match. He indeed claimed that Gunther represented the peak of current WWE talent, stating, “I just think Gunther right now is at the peak of his career. He’s the best of the best.

On Road to WrestleMania 41:

John Cena’s road to his final WrestleMania began on January 6, 2025, when he made a triumphant return on the debut episode of Monday Night Raw on Netflix16. During this appearance, Cena announced his intention to enter the 2025 Royal Rumble match, setting his sights on a path to WrestleMania 41 and potentially his record-breaking 17th world title.

This has, of course, set off a firestorm of speculation and excitement among fans, with the tease of Cena capturing one last world championship before retiring becoming a major storyline in the WrestleMania season.

Gunther Factor

Gunther is the current Intercontinental Champion and has taken WWE by storm in a very short period of time. His dominating reign and skill inside the ring have him respected by all fans and peers alike. John Cena Sr. vouching for Gunther to be the perfect opponent for his son speaks volumes about this Austrian wrestler’s impact in the industry.

The potential clash between Cena and Gunther would indeed be a study in contrasts. Gunther’s technical, hard-hitting style would provide an interesting foil to Cena’s more power-based, crowd-pleasing approach. This stylistic clash could result in a memorable and fitting final WrestleMania match for the Cenation Leader.

Other Potential Opponents

While Gunther is John Cena Sr.’s preferred choice, several other names have been thrown out as potential opponents for Cena’s final WrestleMania match. Among the most prominent is current WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.

There are rumors of discussions taking place backstage regarding a potential bout between Cena and Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 41, where two of the biggest superstars in WWE would go up against each other.

However, John Cena Sr. does not appear to be too excited about such a match even taking place: “I don’t see that happening. I think that match is reserved for The Rock; I really do. I think you’re going to see The Rock against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41.

Significance of the 17th Title

That leaves in the air, as one of many fascinating storylines from his final run, the very strong possibility that he will leave with a record 17th world championship, thereby eclipsing Ric Flair, who is the all-time co-leader at 16 title reigns. What that does is paint a pretty poetic picture: the scenario where Cena secures his legacy, arguably as the best WWE Superstar of all time.

So adding more curiosity towards seeing him at WrestleMania 41 is, in fact, his pursuit of that 17th title. Whether against Gunther, Rhodes, or whomever, the stakes would be higher if a world title is on the line.

The Farewell Tour

Cena’s journey to WrestleMania 41 is a part of the whole farewell tour, which actually will envelop the whole of 2025. This will afford multiple chances for all viewers to see this legend go at it one final time.

Triple H, the Chief Content Officer of WWE, has stated several times how big this farewell tour is. In one interview, he had this to say: “The farewell tour will extend throughout 2025, including live shows, TV tapings, and premium live events.” This whole tour goes to show that WWE really wants to send Cena off into the sunset as befits his legend status.

WrestleMania 41 Stage

WrestleMania 41 promises to be the one for the history books, held on April 19th and 20th, 2025, in Las Vegas. The event would, in truth, give Cena the best stage, whoever the opponent for his last-ever WrestleMania match.

The buzz for the event has already begun, as WWE has been releasing promotional videos featuring Cena himself. In one video, Cena is teasing fans about his opponent, saying, “We have all heard the rumors; we have all questioned who is going to show up. You will never be able to see if you don’t get the combo ticket, so act now because after this, you can’t see me.

The Legacy of John Cena

Now, with a WrestleMania swan song in the offing, some incredible WWE legacy is to be recalled: from a 2002 debut, Cena has become one of the most hailed and decorated superstars in the company’s history.

His 16 reigns as world champion, as well as his multiple Royal Rumble match victories and countless memorable matches, have cemented his status among the all-time greats in professional wrestling. Outside of what he has done in the ring, Cena can be considered a real crossover star due to the work he has done with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and his taking up an acting career in Hollywood.

Induction into the Hall of Fame

There’s even speculation that Cena will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on the eve of WrestleMania 41 as part of his farewell. That would add even more emotion and significance to what his final match is, whoever the opponent might be.

The induction of an induction ceremony celebrating his career would, of course, be a fitting tribute to what he has contributed to WWE and professional wrestling in general. It also makes his last WrestleMania match more emotional, considering that he would enter the ring as a newly minted Hall of Famer.

The Impact on WWE’s Future

Cena’s retirement and final WrestleMania match will no doubt have a huge effect on the future of WWE. His absence will leave a gap that the company needs to fill with new and emerging talent.

Which, of course, is arguably what makes the suggestion from John Cena Sr. that Gunther be the last opponent so very interesting. A WrestleMania match with Cena has the possibility of taking him to new heights, setting him as one of the company’s top stars for possibly the next several years.

Conclusion

The wrestling world is eagerly expecting to see for whom John Cena could have his eventual WrestleMania match following the progress slowly toward the end of their legendary career in wrestling. Being suggested by Cena’s father brought Gunther into the picture as, arguably, somewhat of an opposing figure to represent an ideal opponent—interesting and fostering debate—but nothing is ever certain until Creative and the performer, John Cena, have cleared it.

Whoever steps into the ring opposite Cena at WrestleMania 41, the result will be a deeply emotional and unforgettable affair. As such, it befits one of the most thrilling careers in WWE history with accolades for his work and heritage in the wrestling world, perhaps in a passing of the torch scenario to the newest generation of WWE superstars.

All we can do is leave everything to Fate and wait with bated breath to see fans of how events will unfold: will Cena dive into a clash of genres against Gunther, or eventually go after his World Title #17 against Cody Rhodes if WWE has managed somehow to drop a shocking opponent on him? Whatever the after-effect, in WrestleMania 41, we prepared definitely for an adieu to one amongst the greatest superstars in WWE history.