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John Cena has fueled anticipation for his upcoming retirement tournament, teasing that “surprises” are in store. The 16-man “Last Time is Now” tournament is being held to determine his opponent for his final match. Cena’s last match is scheduled for the December 13th “Saturday Night’s Main Event” at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. Writing on social media, Cena shared his excitement for the tournament’s kickoff. “Seeing all the excitement around Monday Night WWE Raw in Boston,” Cena posted. “Can’t wait to see the matchups and surprises for the Last Time is Now tournament. This is a true once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for everyone involved.” More news: WWE Superstar Announces Retirement Match ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 31: John Cena attends the WWE Monday Night Raw Supershow Halloween event at the Philips Arena on October 31, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Moses Robinson/Getty Images) The tournament was officially announced by Cena at “Saturday Night’s Main Event” on November 1st. He confirmed it will be a 16-man competition featuring participants from “Raw,” “SmackDown,” “NXT,” and potentially even stars “not working in WWE at all.” Seeing all the excitement around Monday Night #WWERaw in Boston. Can’t wait to see the matchups and surprises 👀 for the Last Time is Now tournament. This is a true once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for everyone involved. See you Monday LIVE @tdgarden and on @netflix!— John Cena (@JohnCena) November 7, 2025 This “open door” policy has led to widespread fan speculation. Names like AEW’s Edge (Adam Copeland) and Chris Jericho have been discussed by fans as potential surprise entrants. WWE itself has fueled this speculation by recently posting YouTube videos highlighting Cena’s classic rivalries with both men. Jericho’s AEW contract is also reportedly set to expire around the end of the year. The tournament is set to begin on the November 10th episode of “WWE Raw” from Cena’s hometown of Boston. So far, two first-round matches for the “Raw” side of the bracket have been announced. One match will see Damian Priest take on Rusev. The other announced match features Sheamus facing Shinsuke Nakamura. The final two first-round matches for the “Raw” bracket are expected to be announced shortly, completing the “Raw” block of eight competitors. The eight participants from the “SmackDown” and “NXT” side of the bracket have not yet been revealed. More WWE News: Released WWE Superstar Retires From Pro Wrestling Released WWE Star Breaks Silence On Departure Released WWE Star Wants To Join AEW For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
