By Matthew Couden
Copyright newsweek
WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry is the latest wrestling star to give his thoughts on who John Cena needs to face in his final match before retirement.
Cena previously announced he’s retiring at the end of this year. Since then, he’s faced mostly veteran stars and individuals from his past, including Cody Rhodes and CM Punk. An exception was him facing and defeating a newer wrestling star, Logan Paul.
He’s now heading into his final appearances and matches, including an announced clash with rival AJ Styles at Crown Jewel, which many fans had been demanding online.
On Tuesday, WWE and Chief Content Officer (CCO) Triple H confirmed that Cena’s final match will occur in December. However, WWE didn’t reveal an official opponent.
Read more: Former WWE Star Calls Out SmackDown Referee for Brutal Mistakes
That potentially leaves the door wide open to Cena facing someone completely new on his way out, rather than another familiar foe.
Mark Henry attends WWE’s 2014 SuperStars For Kids at the New Orleans Museum of Art on April 3, 2014, in New Orleans.
Henry recently appeared on TMZ’s “Inside the Ring” and discussed various topics, including John Cena’s final match.
“In my mind, I want it to be Joe Hendry,” he said, surprising the hosts, with one calling it “a really hot take.”
“I heard people say Jericho because Jericho’s gonna be a free agent around that time, or it’ll be this person, like these Hall of Fame caliber people. If John Cena wants to give back to the business, you give it to somebody that’s gonna have a career,” Henry said.
He explained that Cena’s career launched with his early interaction and match with then-WWE star Kurt Angle. Angle has shut down being Cena’s final opponent, due to his own retirement, saying there’s no way he’ll get back in the ring now.
Henry said that Joe Hendry has defeated some impressive opponents in TNA or NXT, but it’s not the same as beating a Hall of Fame star like Cena in WWE, and that a win over Cena would give Hendry a big moment to really launch his career.
Recently, Hendry has been making surprising and humorous appearances in various backstage interactions with NXT stars, utilizing the “Say his name and he appears” gimmick. However, he previously got a big moment at WrestleMania 41 when he showed up as Randy Orton’s surprise opponent, losing to “The Viper” in just over three minutes.
The official date for John Cena’s final match is Saturday, Dec. 13, in Washington, D.C., for WWE’s “Saturday Night’s Main Event,” which will likely be a popular event no matter who Cena faces.
Read more: Former WWE Star Shares Strong Picks for John Cena’s Final Matches
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