Most Intriguing Storylines for John Cena After the Royal Rumble
John Cena has been the unquestioned top star in the WWE over the last decade, and it is imperative that he has a marquee storyline coming out of the 2015 Royal Rumble as the company begins the road to WrestleMania.
Whether fans like him or not, Cena needs to be in a main event-worthy feud at WrestleMania 31.
There are several ways the Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble could shake out, but the likeliest is Brock Lesnar successfully retaining his title by pinning Seth Rollins cleanly.
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Despite not being directly involved in the outcome of the match, Cena would be forced out of the title scene and would need a marquee feud immediately to keep him busy.
The episode of Raw on the Monday following the Royal Rumble on January 25 would be the perfect opportunity for a Superstar to attack Cena and begin their WrestleMania program.
The WWE roster offers many viable options for the opportunity to fight Cena, but the smartest bet would be Rusev.
As a wrestler who has never been pinned or submitted, Rusev attacking Cena and setting his sights on the biggest dog in the yard would help cement his spot as one of the top heels in the company.
While this would inevitably mean Cena would give Rusev his first clean loss in his WWE career, losing to the face of the company on the biggest pay-per-view of the year is the most impactful way to be defeated.
Another distinct possibility is Rollins walking out of the Triple Threat match with the WWE Championship by using his Money in the Bank contract. A rematch against Lesnar would seem inevitable, but Heyman spoke on SmackDown about possibly forming an alliance with Rollins, calling into question whether the two men would fight again.
In this scenario, if Rollins wins the belt and Lesnar does not fight in a Triple Threat match for the title against the champion and the Royal Rumble match winner, there is a possibility that the WWE Universe would be treated to the third and final battle between Cena and Lesnar at WrestleMania 31.
Lesnar vs. Cena at this year’s Royal Rumble was dubbed the last chapter in the storied feud between the two men, but it’s not a clean finish if Rollins takes the pinfall in the match.
Booking Lesnar to fight Cena at WrestleMania in the true finale of their rivalry would result in one of the biggest matches on the card and a bona fide draw for casual fans.
One option that’s not getting enough attention is Cena stunning the world once again and winning the WWE Championship outright at the Royal Rumble. After pinning Rollins to win the world title for a 16th time, Cena would square off against Lesnar and the winner of the Battle Royal in a Triple Threat WrestleMania main event.
Whether it's Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan or another top star, beating both Cena and Lesnar in the main event of WrestleMania for the company’s top title would make for an even more impactful moment.
Beating both Cena and Lesnar would leave a longer-lasting impression than defeating one or the other in singles competition.
Regardless of what’s next for Cena, he needs a marquee storyline coming out of the Royal Rumble. The WWE understands how much money he makes for the company, and putting him in the main event one way or another is a necessary evil.
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