John Cena Announces ‘The Last Time Is Now Tournament’ To Determine His Final WWE Opponent

Former WWE Champion John Cena announced a 16-man tournament to determine his final opponent on tonight’s Saturday Night’s Main Event.

The tournament titled ‘The Last Time Is Now Tournament” will see 16 superstars from RAW, SmackDown, and NXT, and, like Cena mentioned in a video, even those who aren’t contracted to WWE compete to earn the right to battle the 17-time World Champion in his retirement match at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13 in Washington, D.C.

The tournament will commence on the November 10 edition of Monday Night RAW, which will emanate from John Cena’s home, Boston.

Here’s what John Cena said:

“From the moment I announced my Farewell Tour over a year ago, the one question I’ve been asked more than any other is: ‘Who do you want to face in your last match?’ My answer has always been the same. On my last day, I want to face whoever is willing to step up and seize the same opportunity I was given on my first day,” he said.

The 48-year-old continued:

“Therefore, starting a week from Monday, on RAW from my hometown in Boston, a 16-man tournament will commence. The field will be chosen at random, filled with competitors from RAW, SmackDown, and NXT, and maybe even some faces who don’t even work here. There will be stars from whom I have a storied history, but even more from a generation of talent that I’ve never gone one-on-one with in my life. By the time we get to December 13th, in Washington, D.C., for our next Saturday Night’s Main Event, my final opponent isn’t going to be hand-picked; it’s going to be hard-earned. To everyone seizing this opportunity, I say, ‘Good luck!’”

Check out the video shared by WWE on X:

.@JohnCena's FINAL opponent will be determined by "The Last Time is Now Tournament". Who will it be?! 👀 pic.twitter.com/OUDyKRxzCK

— WWE (@WWE) November 2, 2025

Cena’s next WWE appearance will be on the November 10 episode of Monday Night RAW. His final RAW appearance will take place at Madison Square Garden on November 17. The 48-year-old will then feature at Survivor Series: WarGames later this month before competing in his final match on December 13.