7 WWE Dream Matches for John Cena After Shinsuke Nakamura Loss on SmackDown

Whether you love him or hate him, there's no denying the fact that John Cena has become the measuring stick in WWE.

When the spotlight is on him, the Leader of the Cenation always puts on a good show. He has gotten to a point where he can have a great match with just about anybody, even if he has never been in the ring with them before.

His most recent first-time encounter is evidence of this fact. When Cena battled Shinsuke Nakamura on SmackDown, they stole the show.

This was billed as a dream match mostly because it was the first time these two renowned performers had ever been in the ring together.

Throughout his more than 15-year career, Cena has crossed paths with just about every big name in the business, but believe it or not, there is still a handful of people in NXT and on the main roster he has never faced.

Some of these opponents are almost too low on the card for Cena to bother with, but there are still some potential dream matches in his future with stars currently signed to WWE.

Let's look at seven people Cena has never fought who fans would love to see step in the ring with the 16-time world champion.

7. Chad Gable

This might seem like a strange entry, but hear me out. When Cena first debuted on WWE television, it was in a segment with Kurt Angle.

The Olympian said he wanted to face someone who embodied the term "ruthless aggression." A young Cena answered the call, and to Angle's surprise, he came close to winning.

Cena could do something similar with Chad Gable. Granted, it wouldn't be Gable's debut on the main roster, but being in the ring with Cena would certainly give him a boost.

We saw how well Gable handled himself against the monstrous Rusev on the August 1 SmackDown, so we know he can do just as well against Cena.

Gable would likely come up short, but a strong performance against the top guy in WWE would give him a bigger boost than several meaningless wins against midcard stars ever could.

Gable and Cena are both on SmackDown, so there is absolutely no reason why we shouldn't see this match at some point in the future.

6. Matt Hardy

Cena has gone to war with Jeff Hardy in the past, but he has never had a singles match against his brother, Matt Hardy.

The master of the Broken Universe is arguably a bigger star than he was when he left WWE the last time due to his massive growth as character and performer during his time away.

Matt is now a legit top star, and if he and Jeff ever decide to go solo again, one person he needs to face is Cena.

These are two veterans who were with WWE for years at the same time who never managed to cross paths. That's almost unheard of these days.

This would give WWE the rare opportunity to bill a match as a first-time encounter between two talents with more than a decade under the company's banner. 

5. James Ellsworth

James Ellsworth is going to seem completely out of place on this list, but it all depends on how one defines the term "dream match."

If your dream is to see someone take the Chinless Wonder and systematically destroy him with precision and power, then Cena vs. Ellsworth is a dream match.

There's something special about seeing a WWE Superstar take out someone who is annoying, and WWE has indulged us with something similar before.

Cena giving Kevin Federline an Attitude Adjustment, Kane Tombstoning Pete Rose and Kevin Owens powerbombing Machine Gun Kelly off the stage were all deeply satisfying moments for fans who found those celebrities annoying.

Ellsworth has done a great job turning himself from a lovable underdog into someone you can't stand to be in the same room with, and while it would be awesome to see Becky Lynch rip his arm off, it's far more likely we will see him take an AA from Cena.

4. Bobby Roode

When TNA actually felt like competition for WWE, even on the smallest level, there were a few names who stuck out as people WWE fans wanted to see jump ship.

AJ Styles is the most obvious, but someone else who many still believe has the potential to be a big name in WWE someday is Bobby Roode.

The current NXT champion is one of those rare Superstars who always seems to understand exactly what to do to improve a match or a promo to make it memorable.

He and Cena work a similar style focusing on building to an exciting climax, and watching them craft a finish that keeps everyone on the edge of their seats would be epic. 

3. Finn Balor

Finn Balor is a unique Superstar who has already earned himself one of the largest followings in WWE, making him a prime candidate to end up in a match with Cena at some point.

The Demon King has already earned some huge wins in WWE over the likes of Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, so it's clear WWE wants him to be a marquee talent.

He may be on the small side compared to a guy like Cena, but Balor has always been able to perform against larger wrestlers without a problem.

WWE gave us Nakamura vs. Cena on free TV, but Cena vs. Balor should be saved for a big pay-per-view like a future SummerSlam, Royal Rumble or Survivor Series.

2. Braun Strowman

WWE has put Braun Strowman on the fast track to the Universal Championship after the WWE Universe took to the big man better than expected.

He has already dominated most of the Raw roster, and he is set to take part in the biggest match at SummerSlam against Brock Lesnar, Reigns and Samoa Joe. 

Strowman and Cena had one short confrontation during a 12-man tag match when Strowman shoved Cena off the apron, but that was it.

If Strowman wants to be the top guy in WWE, he has to go through Cena at some point. WWE has been smart to keep them apart until The Monster Among Men has more success under his belt. When they do eventually collide, it's going to be brutal.

1. Samoa Joe

Cena and Samoa Joe have known each other for a long time, and they have even wrestled a few times in Ultimate Pro Wrestling when it was one of WWE's developmental territories, but they have never been inside a WWE ring together.

This is one of those dream matches people have been talking about for years. When Cena was at his peak in WWE, Joe was the one ruling over TNA with an iron fist.

It always seemed out of reach because many assumed WWE was never going to sign Joe. At first, it was because he didn't fit the "WWE type" everyone thinks Vince McMahon loves, but then it seemed like Joe was content being a big star in every other promotion.

When he signed with NXT, everything changed. The idea of a Joe vs. Cena match became a reality, and the more successful The Destroyer is on the main roster, the more likely it seems we will get this showdown.

This is the kind of bout that should headline a WrestleMania because you know they will leave everything they have in the ring. When you have known each other as long as Joe and Cena have, an unspoken rivalry develops because both men want to be the best.

The battle between TNA and WWE was over before it started, but we have been lucky enough to see some of our favorite dream matches between the company's top stars become a reality. With any luck, we will get Joe vs. Cena before one of them decides to hang up his boots for good.