3 Reasons why John Cena shouldn’t win the 2025 Royal Rumble match

John Cena is set to return to WWE soon, with his retirement tour taking place next year. His Road to WrestleMania will officially kickstart at the 2025 Royal Rumble.

Fans are looking forward to this much-anticipated event. This is especially true as it will feature Cena’s final Royal Rumble appearance. Recent betting odds place the 16-time World Champion as the current favorite to win the Men’s Royal Rumble match.

Check out the latest odds below:

Despite all this excitement, below are three potential reasons why John Cena shouldn't win the Royal Rumble match next year.

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#3. John Cena doesn't need the win

If the Royal Rumble match marks John Cena's first bout since his return, it will also be his first match in ten months. Given this lengthy hiatus, Cena is likely to show some ring rust. Therefore, it would be more believable for him to fall short in his first match back rather than miraculously winning the entire Rumble.

This setback could set the stage for a compelling storyline in which Cena overcomes adversity, eventually leading to a significant victory at Elimination Chamber. By winning the Chamber match, The Cenation Leader could more convincingly secure his spot at WrestleMania 41.

Cena could still go on to face one of the World Champions at The Grandest Stage of Them All without winning the Rumble.

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#2. Roman Reigns and The Rock are much better options right now

It would be a great moment for John Cena to win the Royal Rumble in his final appearance at the event. However, other options align better with the current narratives in WWE.

Roman Reigns and The Rock present more logical choices if we look ahead to WrestleMania 41. There have been hints that The Rock could face Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship. One way to set this up is by having The Final Boss win the Men's Rumble to earn a shot at The American Nightmare.

Roman Reigns also has a compelling story. The last time he won the Rumble was in 2015. At that time, he faced heavy backlash from the crowd despite being pushed as a babyface. The Stamford-based company could rectify that moment this year. As one of the most popular stars currently, Reigns could win the Rumble and go on to headline WrestleMania 41 against Cody Rhodes in the final chapter of their trilogy.

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#1. The Royal Rumble win could elevate newer stars

John Cena has already won the Royal Rumble match twice in his illustrious career.

Hence, Cena doesn’t need another Rumble win to solidify his legacy. Instead, the event could be used to elevate younger stars like Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, or Jacob Fatu.

A Royal Rumble victory has the potential to transform anyone’s career, and giving this moment to an emerging talent could help establish them as a serious main-event player moving forward.

It remains to be seen what the Stamford-based promotion has planned for John Cena upon his return.