3 AEW stars who deserve a John Cena-like farewell tour in 2026

John Cena is the former Undisputed WWE Champion [Image Credit: WWE.com]
John Cena is a 17-time world champion in WWE (Credits: WWE.com)

WWE legend John Cena will be hanging up his boots this week at Saturday Night's Main Event. He has been performing for over two decades and has made a huge impact on the industry. In recent years, he has focused on his Hollywood career. However, this year, he has spent a lot of time with the WWE Universe.

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The Cenation Leader's final opponent will be Gunther. The Ring General won the Last Time Is Now tournament and will lock horns with the legend. Throughout the year, he was involved in feel-good moments and great matches. Very few stars in pro wrestling get a farewell like John Cena.

Some AEW stars also deserve a great retirement tour because their contributions to the Jacksonville-based promotion are invaluable. Last year, Sting got a great farewell. Let's take a look at some of the top AEW names who could get a retirement tour like John Cena in 2026.

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#3. Adam Copeland

The Rated-R Superstar had an illustrious WWE career. Despite a neck injury that kept him out for nearly a decade, Adam Copeland is regarded as one of the all-time greats in pro wrestling. Additionally, his work in AEW received a lot of praise from fans. Many enjoyed his partnership with Christian Cage. Currently, fans are waiting for the former TNT Champion to return, as he has been absent since September.

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Adam Copeland has hinted at retirement several times recently and also issued a major statement about it. He wished to put over a young star in his final match. 2026 might be a great year to hang up the boots. Next year, he and Christian Cage could have a short tag team championship run, and around December, Copeland could bid goodbye to the pro wrestling business.


#2. Dustin Rhodes

The Natural has been wrestling for over three decades. Despite his age, his matches don't lack action. He recently had double knee surgery in August and is still recovering. Even before fully recovering, the former TNT Champion said he would be returning to the ring once again.

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Looking at the recent updates, Dustin Rhodes might return in just a few months. After he was sidelined, Sammy Guevara turned on him. The two could have a series of matches, and in the final bout, he could put over the Spanish God and finally establish him as a main event player.

After knee surgery, it might be difficult for The Natural to wrestle top-notch matches throughout the year, and therefore, he could hang up his boots in 2026 after a brief retirement tour.

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#1. Bobby Lashley deserves a farewell like John Cena

Bobby Lashley debuted in All Elite Wrestling last year. In that short time, he made a great impact. He and Shelton Benjamin held the AEW Tag Team Championship earlier this year. Fans are now calling for The Hurt Syndicate member to get a push in the main event scene, as he has achieved a lot of success in the tag team division.

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2026 could be the year The All Mighty wins the AEW World Championship and possibly retires, having achieved everything in the business. Both John Cena and Bobby Lashley are the same age. While many qualities differ between the two, Bobby deserves a retirement tour for his unsung contributions.

It will be interesting to see if John Cena emerges victorious in his final match.

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Edited by Neda Ali
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