John Cena’s “The Last Time Is Now” tournament is a 16-man single-elimination event designed to determine his final WWE opponent for his farewell match on December 13, 2025, at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, D.C.
So far, eight participants and several first-round matches have been announced:
- Rusev, Damian Priest, Sheamus, Shinsuke Nakamura, The Miz, Jey Uso, and LA Knight. The opponent of LA Knight remains a mystery for now, with speculation that it could be a surprise entrant, possibly even someone outside the WWE.
The first half of the first round will be completed during this week’s upcoming episodes of RAW and SmackDown.
Monday Night RAW
Lines for RAW betting are available for both first-round matches in The Last Time Is Now Tournament.
“The Last Time is Now”: Round 1: Rusev vs. Damian Priest
- Rusev -260
- Damian Priest +170
Rusev is a heavy favorite to defeat Damian Priest and move on to the second round. There are no active brackets to refer to, so it is uncertain who the winner’s next opponent will be.
“The Last Time is Now”: Round 1: Sheamus vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
- Sheamus -200
- Shinsuke Nakamura +150
Sheamus is a two-to-one favorite to win in his first round match against Shinsuke Nakamura. Neither would make a compelling final match with Cena, and it is not expected that Sheamus or Nakamura will make it to the final.
WWE SmackDown
This Friday night’s episode of SmackDown will also feature two first-round matches in the tournament.
“The Last Time is Now”: Round 1: Jey Uso vs. The Miz
- Jey Uso -375
- The Miz +235
Jey Uso is a fan favorite and would be a formidable opponent for Cena, but we’re guessing the WWE will go for a higher profile match on the last Saturday Night’s Main Event of 2025.
“The Last Time is Now”: Round 1: LA Knight vs. Mystery Opponent
- Mystery Opponent -175
- LA Knight +130
Here’s where it gets interesting. There is speculation that the mystery opponent that will face LA Knight at SmackDown will be Chris Jericho, who has been away from the company since departing for AEW in 2019.
Jericho has been off AEW television since April, but is under contract until the end of the year. Whoever goes up against LA Knight already has a favorable chance of advancing in the tournament.
John Cena Futures
Numerous superstars are listed among the potentials for Cena’s final match. Of the first eight contenders announced, only LA Knight is among the top odds getters.
Who Will John Cena Face in His Last Match?
- Gunther -400
- Cody Rhodes +125
- The Rock +150
- Brock Lesnar +250
- Drew McIntyre +250
- Bron Breakker +500
- LA Knight +500
- Oba Femi +600
- Carmelo Hayes +700
- Roman Reigns +800
Chris Jericho is conspicuously missing from the above WWE futures. One month out, Gunther is listed as an overwhelming favorite, but anything can happen between now and then.