John Cena officially kicked off his retirement tour during Monday night’s premiere episode of WWE Raw on Netflix. In a major announcement, Cena declared that he would not only enter the Royal Rumble Match but also win it, earning the right to challenge for either the World Heavyweight Championship, currently held by GUNTHER, or the Undisputed WWE Championship, held by Cody Rhodes, at WrestleMania 41.
If Cena wins a world title, he will break the all-time record for the most title reigns in WWE history. He is currently tied with Ric Flair at 16 reigns. WWE has already been building toward a potential Cena vs. Rhodes match for WrestleMania 41, but it’s not guaranteed that Cena will secure his path to the showdown via a Royal Rumble victory.
WWE has several storytelling options, including the traditional Elimination Chamber match at the themed Premium Live Event. The Chamber match could determine a challenger for the title not targeted by the Royal Rumble winner, providing an alternative path for Cena or other contenders. During his announcement, Cena also referenced his recent losing streak in high-profile matches, adding a layer of intrigue to his journey.
On a recent edition of SportsKeeda’s Backstage Pass Q&A, WrestleVotes shared insight into Cena’s standing as a favorite to win the Royal Rumble:
“Yeah, especially after that promo last night [when asked if he thinks Cena is winning the Royal Rumble]. I think everybody in attendance live gave him the reaction that he was looking for, and they want to see number 17. So, you know, we had heard that he was one of the leaders in the clubhouse prior to last night. And I think last night only solidified that he’s probably choice 1 or 1A, so yeah, I’d say it looks good at this point.”
With Cena’s declaration and the stakes of breaking Ric Flair’s record, all eyes are on the Royal Rumble to see if his road to history will truly begin.
