3 WWE stars John Cena can pay tribute to next

As John Cena's Farewell Tour nears its conclusion, the classic babyface version of him has been paying tribute to some of his great rivals over the past two-plus decades, such as CM Punk, Randy Orton, Edge, AJ Styles, Kevin Owens, and more, often by borrowing from their iconic signature moves.

With just six dates remaining and at least four matches left, Cena is likely to try to sneak in as many more tributes as possible. In this article, we will discuss three WWE stars John Cena might choose to pay homage to next.

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#3. WWE Superstar The Miz

There is perhaps no man who has been more underappreciated in WWE over the past decades than The Miz. John Cena, however, has always made sure to give the guy his flowers. Fans don't see in real-time just how much effort wrestlers put in day after day behind the scenes, but looking at The Miz's career trajectory and his colleagues' anecdotes, one can gauge that he is one of the hardest workers the business has ever seen.

The Miz is one of John Cena's great rivals, and don’t forget, he's quick to remind everyone that he defeated John Cena with the WWE Championship on the line in the main event of WrestleMania 27. They also reignited this rivalry in a short feud during Cena's two-month full-time run in 2023.

In one of his last matches, Cena may choose to use a Skull Crushing Finale for a massive pop and tribute. Alternatively, he could borrow a line or two from his legendary battles of words with The Miz, whether it’s the one before WrestleMania 33 or the famous RAW promo involving Roman Reigns, where The Miz put both men in their place as the Intercontinental Champion and the face that ran the place during that time.

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#2. Former WWE Champion Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan, known as Bryan Danielson outside of WWE, in real life and in AEW, ROH, NJPW, and other promotions, left WWE in 2021 to join Tony Khan's All Elite Wrestling. He retired from full-time competition last September after losing the AEW World Championship to Jon Moxley. Interestingly, Danielson is soon set to take on a full-time commentary role in the Jacksonville-based promotion.

Nevertheless, given his importance and stature in AEW and in Tony Khan's view, Danielson, one of Cena's greatest opponents, won't be part of his Farewell Tour. That, however, shouldn't hinder Cena from paying tribute to The American Dragon, just like he did to Edge (Adam Copeland) in his match against Sami Zayn on SmackDown.

From a Running Knee, LeBell Lock, to a Yes! taunt or perhaps even the Yes! Kicks, he'd have numerous options. And while Corey Graves often switches allegiances based on who is being a bigger piece of trash at any given time, it would remain very likely that he portrays these, especially the Yes! Kicks, as homages to The Miz instead of Daniel Bryan.

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#1. John Cena can pay tribute to WWE legend Batista

Batista is one of John Cena's greatest rivals in the truest sense of the word. The two began their rise to the top around the same time, defining the Ruthless Aggression Era. Today, they still follow parallel career paths, from winning their first World Titles at WrestleMania 21 to becoming diverse Hollywood actors with major roles in Marvel and DC.

WWE knew the equity of the big Batista and John Cena feud, to the point that they were initially kept on separate brands. During that period, they led their respective brands from the front. While Cena's rivalries with Edge, Randy Orton, and CM Punk arguably have surpassed his rivalry with Batista, they still remain legendary arch-nemesis.

The easiest way for John Cena to pay tribute to one of his greatest rivals, who is now too old and retired from wrestling to be involved with his retirement tour, would be to use the iconic Batista Bomb. Because of its simplicity and iconic nature of the move, it would be amongst the easiest, and yet, the most impactful and resonant ones to replicate. Given the common nature of a powerbomb, however, it would serve well if the commentary team could relay its significance in the moment, something Michael Cole has failed to do as of late.