John Cena's Best Options For Rumored WWE WrestleMania 39 Match

Fans should expect WrestleMania 39 to be a loaded show as WWE returns to Hollywood for the first time since 2005.

All eyes will be on the pro wrestling juggernaut, and we will probably see as many cameos and legends as possible. So, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that John Cena may appear on The Grandest Stage of Them All in April.

The 16-time world champion last returned on the June 27 episode of Raw to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his debut. He has competed for the company at least once every year since 2002, though he wasn’t available for the last two iterations of The Show of Shows.

Earlier this week, a rumor surfaced that suggested he could be set to wrestle at the iconic show in 2023. According to Louis Dangoor of GiveMeSport, WrestleVotes explained that "a match at WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles will help" him become a bigger crossover star like Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.

Now, that’s just a rumor, but it doesn't seem that far-fetched. This year’s two-night event at SoFi Stadium appears to be the ideal destination for the star of Peacemaker to secure his latest WrestleMania moment. After all, WWE will probably try to enlist other household names such as The Rock, Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey to garner mainstream attention.

Some viewers may see this as a retread, but there are ways to use Cena effectively. These are the best options for his rumored match ahead of April 1-2.

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A Dream Matchup with Gunther

Stop me if you've heard this one before. A dominant foreign champion rises to prominence on SmackDown while mocking Americans and proclaiming superiority. Then, "The Time Is Now" rings out in the arena, as Cena defiantly answers the call and cuts an impassioned and patriotic promo.

Yes, it’s a tired setup with a predictable outcome, but Gunther would be an interesting opponent for the 45-year-old. Honestly, the visual of a staredown between the drastically different characters seems tailor-made for a major pay-per-view match. Even more, the window for this first-time matchup is quickly closing.

WrestleMania 39 may be the perfect time to capitalize on it because The Ring General is on a phenomenal run. The only problem is that we don’t trust WWE with this encounter. It already gives us flashbacks to Cena’s infamous match with Rusev from 2015.

This would be a nice option if Gunther managed to humble him in Hollywood and earn his respect. That doesn’t seem likely because the returning star is the more recognizable name in a setting where he’s building a new resume.

Still, this could be a fun contest that would allow WWE to highlight the reigning intercontinental champion.

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One Last Chance at Dream Match With 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin

This may seem preposterous, but much more elaborate scenarios have occurred in 2022. To that end, we never thought we would see “Stone Cold” Steve Austin wrestle at 'Mania again before this year.

Nevertheless, The Texas Rattlesnake surprisingly headlined the event in Dallas with Kevin Owens. Austin delivered an entertaining showing in his first match since 2003, leaving many fans wondering if he had one more left in him.

According to GiveMeSport, the pop-culture icon was “elated” by how well the match turned out. So much so that he may be open to stepping into the ring again at some point. Of course, WWE fans should not take that as a confirmation that he will wrestle again, but it’s a possibility.

If he does, WWE should try to book this ultimate showdown between the two biggest stars of their respective eras. Yes, this matchup should have happened years ago, and it’s well past its shelf life. Even more, The Rock vs. Cena was a suitable alternative that lived up to the hype the first time.

There’s no way any version of this match could surpass that once-in-a-lifetime clash between two major stars with similar trajectories.

Still, this is probably the last real shot at Austin vs. Cena. So, why not aim high and give longtime viewers an unforgettable WrestleMania moment?

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John Cena vs. Austin Theory

Straight away, Austin Theory seems like a no-brainer. Many have compared the former Face of the WWE and his self-proclaimed fan.

The similarities seem pretty surface-level at first glance, but there’s still an intriguing story to tell about Vince McMahon’s handpicked guy’s fall from grace. Theory failed to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase in dramatic fashion at the end of last week’s episode of Raw.

This puzzling waste of opportunity to become a world champion left many fans wondering what’s next for the 25-year-old.

It would be easy to assume he will never recover from such a humiliating loss. Other unsuccessful Money in the Bank winners like Baron Corbin, Otis, Damien Sandow and Mr. Kennedy never managed to climb back into the title picture again.

Regardless, Theory is still so young and malleable. There is still some potential for Triple H’s regime to mold him into a star. A match with Cena at WrestleMania would be an excellent opportunity for him to prove himself.

Unfortunately, some fans would always reject him as long as he and McMahon were linked. It may have seemed like a rash decision to move on from his biggest accolade since he joined the main roster so soon. But it never felt earned, and he wasn’t a plausible threat to Roman Reigns.

Photo credit: WWE.com

It makes much more sense to start from scratch and build him back up so viewers can follow his journey as they did with Cena.

It’s easy to forget because it became cool to hate him later in his career, but his initial run was so undeniable because he organically grew into one of the most popular Superstars on the roster as The Doctor of Thuganomics.

Theory never had a moment like Cena’s "Ruthless Aggression" debut or the charismatic performances that transformed him into the jort-wearing megastar. So, any comparisons between the two come off as hollow and contrived.

As Kevin Owens told Theory in September: "Stop thinking about the moments that were handed to you and start making your own moments."

The former U.S. champion already confronted his idol in June. Now, he should push for a one-on-one match at The Show of Shows and attempt to prove his detractors wrong.