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Ex-TNA World Champion Allegedly Set For John Cena’s Tournament

By John Canton • Published Nov 06, 2025 22:00 EST
John Cena

A former TNA World Champion could be a part of the tournament to determine John Cena’s final opponent in a WWE ring.

During the WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event special in Salt Lake City, John Cena was featured in a video package where he spoke about the Last Time Is Now tournament.

The “Last Time Is Now” tournament will feature 16 wrestlers competing in a knockout-style tournament, with the winners advancing and the losers going home. To win the tournament, a wrestler has to win four matches in a row. The prize? That wrestler gets to be John Cena’s final opponent in his retirement match at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13th in Washington, DC.

On WWE Monday Night Raw, it was announced that the first two matches in the tournament on November 10th in Boston will be:

* Sheamus vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

* Damian Priest vs. Rusev

In the storyline, it was announced that Raw GM Adam Pearce picked the names at random. Cena will also be at Raw in Boston.

Cena’s video mentioned there will be wrestlers from Raw, SmackDown, and NXT, and even wrestlers who don’t work for WWE officially.

While speaking on his NotSam Wrestling podcast, WWE personality Sam Roberts suggested a TNA wrestler for the tournament. After Roberts made the case for Matt Cardona to be in John Cena’s “Last Time Is Now” Tournament, he also mentioned former TNA World Champion Joe Hendry as a possible wrestler in the tournament.

“The other person has to be Joe Hendry. I mean there’s just no doubt in my mind. Joe Hendry is in this tournament. To not be in this tournament would be nuts. I think Joe Hendry is in. Matt Cardona and Joe Hendry.”

Joe Hendry still works for TNA Wrestling even though he appears on WWE NXT nearly every week, including this past week.

The tournament will continue on upcoming episodes of Raw and SmackDown over the next month.

John Cena Praises Natalya & TJ Wilson For Working With Wrestlers To Get Better

As he prepares for his final matches as a WWE superstar, John Cena is doing his best to stay in shape. The 17-time WWE World Champion visited “The Dungeon” ring owned by WWE Producer TJ Wilson (fka WWE superstar Tyson Kidd) and his wife, WWE superstar Natalya. At The Dungeon, TJ and Natalya train with wrestlers whom they invite to sharpen their skills and get better.

Natalya posted on social media about Cena’s visit to The Dungeon in Tampa.

Thank you,@JohnCena. The most valuable gift anyone can give is their time — and you’ve never stopped giving it to others. You continue to set the standard for what it means to lead, inspire, and give back. The time you shared with us in The Dungeon will stay with us forever.

TJ also praised Cena for showing up for visiting them at The Dungeon.

John, I can’t thank you enough!! For coming through and being completely selfless with both your time and information. Best part of all-it was you that wanted to come and do that on your own accord. Says a lot about you. John Cena is truly one of a kind

In response, John Cena praised his friends, TJ and Natalya, for what they are doing, as well as the efforts of the wrestlers putting in the work.

The brilliance, ability & generosity of @TJWilson & @natbynatureis astounding. The Dungeon’s existence shows how dedicated my two friends are to the industry we love. Dungeon’s Rules – INVITE ONLY COST $0.00 fees are paid in passion & ‘hustle’. FLAKE OUT, invite revoked. All they ask is all any audience asks … give everything you have.

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