3 AEW stars who should have been in John Cena’s final match tournament instead of Matt Cardona

Matt Cardona made his return to WWE to compete in John Cena's final match tournament on SmackDown this week. Cardona's comeback was a long time coming for the fans, as many were waiting to see him in the WWE ring. However, there were plenty of mixed reactions to using a spot in Cena’s tournament for the return of The Indy God, especially when it felt like any other talent could have easily fit in.

Many fans thought a top AEW name could have been put in the place of Matt Cardona in the tournament. People had a lot of hype about the potential returns in John Cena's Last Time is Now tournament. However, it seems like WWE chose to go the easy route instead. But from a former AEW World Champion to one of the top names in AEW, many stars from the Jacksonville-based promotion could have been the perfect choice instead of Cardona.

Let's talk about 3 AEW stars who should have been in John Cena’s final match tournament instead of Matt Cardona:

#3. Edge

Edge is one of the biggest rivals of John Cena in his career. The two stars gave tributes to each other over the past few months, which sparked a lot of conversations about a potential match between them. Besides, many fans even considered Edge to be an appropriate name to retire The Cenation Leader in his final match in the Stamford-based promotion.

Besides, Cena clearly hinted that his Last Time is Now tournament will feature several names that are not in WWE, which led the fans to speculate The Rated-R Superstar as one of the contenders in the tournament. Therefore, it can be said that WWE missed the opportunity of putting up a legendary rival like Edge against John Cena for his last match ever.

#2 Bryan Danielson

Bryan Danielson has been one of the most iconic rivals of John Cena. However, in 2025, they have become top names of their respective promotions, creating a solid dynamic for a singles match. Therefore, if The American Dragon ended up being a part of Cena's final match tournament, it had the potential to shake the entire world of professional wrestling industry.

Danielson is active in AEW as of late. WWE had to crack a deal with All Elite Wrestling to get the former WWE Champion. Such an angle could have turned into something legendary, opening doors for many dream matches between WWE and AEW down the line. However, with no chance of a potential AEW name showing up, WWE has closed any doors for a potential partnership with All Elite Wrestling for the foreseeable future.

#1. Chris Jericho could have been in John Cena's final match tournament

Chris Jericho was once discussed as a potential contender to be Cena's final opponent in WWE. The two stars had history together, and WWE even dropped a reference to their match a few weeks ago. Besides, Y2J was recently spotted working out in the gym to get back in shape for a potential return to pro-wrestling.

However, with Cardona's entry as the surprise, WWE has crossed out any possibility for The Learning Tree facing John Cena. Jericho's return had the potential to grab a lot of attention for WWE, especially if it was for The Franchise Player's final match. Such an angle could have had long-term effects on the Stamford-based promotion's product as well.