As John Cena’s farewell tour nears its emotional conclusion, speculation continues to swirl about who will stand across from him in his final WWE match. While many fans believe Cena deserves a chance to avenge his lopsided loss to Brock Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza, WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long says he’s not interested in seeing that rivalry revisited — and has a much bigger dream match in mind.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Road Trip After Hours podcast, Long dismissed the idea of another Cena vs. Lesnar showdown. “Not me,” he said bluntly when asked if the Wrestlepalooza match made him excited for a potential final feud. “I’m not, you know, I’m not like a wrestling fan. You know what I mean? So that doesn’t excite me at all.”
Instead, Long believes Cena’s last match should transcend the usual storylines and deliver a once-in-a-lifetime moment by pitting him against a legendary figure from another era. “You know what I would like to have, I would have brought someone in special,” Long said. “And I mean, I may be, you know, I don’t know what Steve would… but Cena and Stone Cold Steve Austin, that’s what I would have liked to have seen.”
Austin, one of the most iconic stars in WWE history, officially retired after his comeback match at WrestleMania 38 in 2022. However, rumors have persisted that “The Texas Rattlesnake” could be open to stepping into the ring one last time under the right circumstances. A match between Austin and Cena — two of the biggest names of their respective generations — has long been considered one of WWE’s greatest “dream matches” that never happened.
The debate over Cena’s final opponent remains ongoing, with some fans arguing that his farewell should see him “pass the torch” to a rising star, while others, like Teddy Long, believe the perfect send-off would be a blockbuster attraction match against a fellow all-time great.
