Former Intercontinental Champion wants to return to WWE to face John Cena after almost a decade 

John Cena's last run is officially underway in WWE. Former Intercontinental Champion Matt Cardona recently dropped a hint at facing him on his farewell tour ten years after their last match on RAW.

The Face that Runs the Place kicked off his much-awaited farewell tour on the debut episode of Monday Night RAW on Netflix. This will see Cena's very last performances as an in-ring performer with the tour culminating with his final match in December.

WWE dropped an interactive tweet regarding John Cena's farewell tour. The Stamford-based company asked multiple questions as to what the Cenation was hoping to see on the tour.

"Dream Match: Tag Team Partner: Promo Battle: Reunion: OMG Moment: Final Match:"

This caught the attention of Matt Cardona (fka Zack Ryder), who was a part of WWE during Cena's tenure as a full-time performer. The Indy God responded to the tweet via his X to drop a photo of himself with the 16-time WWE Champion from the early 2010s, possibly hinting at an in-ring showdown against him after their last match on RAW in 2015.

John Cena & Matt Cardona worked closely in WWE during the early 2010s

Matt Cardona experienced major success in the early 2010s as Zack Ryder. His rising popularity on the internet led WWE to insert him in major storylines, including one with John Cena.

This led to Cardona's being featured in high-profile matches, getting sufficient TV time and main events, and even winning the WWE United States Championship. Moreover, Matt was also involved in a romantic angle with former WWE Superstar Eve Torres and was even an integral part of Cena's feud with Kane in 2011.

Over the years, as Matt Cardona progressed in his career on the independent scene, he often spoke about wanting to face John Cena. However, Cardona has been involved with other promotions, including making appearances recently on AEW and ROH and even hitting a milestone after wrestling Bryan Keith on Rampage.

On the other hand, Cena's farewell tour has begun, with the first stop being the 2025 Royal Rumble match. The Cenation Leader declared himself for the Men's Rumble match in hopes of earning a shot at his 17th World Championship. While Cardona reuniting with Cena seems unlikely at the moment, anything can happen between now and the end of his farewell tour.