The final Monday Night Raw appearance of John Cena’s legendary WWE career began with the company’s hottest Superstar returning to his hometown of Boston, setting the stage for an emotional and historic evening of professional wrestling.[1] The November 10, 2025 episode of Raw delivered on multiple fronts, launching the highly anticipated “Last Time Is Now” tournament while simultaneously defending championships and building toward Cena’s final in-ring match scheduled for Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13.[1]
John Cena’s Homecoming Generates Massive Crowd Energy
The evening kicked off with THE GOAT making his triumphant return to Boston, where Cena first captured the hearts of wrestling fans decades ago.[1] With just weeks remaining in his active wrestling career, the veteran superstar took to the microphone to address the Boston crowd and discuss what lies ahead for him in this final chapter. The emotional weight of the moment was palpable throughout the TD Garden, as fans recognized they were witnessing one of professional wrestling’s most significant career conclusions unfold in real time.
Cena’s appearance served as the perfect opening act for Raw, setting a nostalgic yet forward-looking tone for the evening’s proceedings. The retirement tour has captured the wrestling world’s imagination, and this homecoming edition represented a critical juncture in the narrative leading toward his final match at Saturday Night’s Main Event.[1]
According to sources close to WWE’s creative team, the decision to have Cena appear on Raw from Boston was deliberate. “John wanted his final Monday appearance to be in a market that means everything to him,” an insider revealed. “The emotional resonance of Boston for his career was something that couldn’t be overlooked as we build toward his final match.”
The Last Time Is Now Tournament Officially Commences
The centerpiece of November 10’s Raw broadcast was the official start of the “Last Time Is Now” tournament, a 16-man competition that will determine who faces John Cena in his retirement match.[1] The tournament structure guarantees that one fortunate superstar will be granted the singular honor of competing against Cena one final time, making every match in the bracket carry enormous significance.
Two first-round matchups took place on this week’s episode, featuring competitors with deep histories intertwined with Cena’s legendary career. The tournament format promises weeks of compelling wrestling action as the field gradually narrows toward an inevitable climax in December.
Damian Priest vs. Rusev Sets High Tournament Bar
The first match featured Damian Priest squaring off against Rusev in what promised to be a hard-hitting encounter between two powerful competitors.[1] Both men possess the credentials to potentially earn a date with Cena, having crossed paths with the wrestling icon throughout their respective careers. The intensity of their collision would establish the tone for what could develop into a compelling tournament run.
Nakamura and Sheamus Bring International Star Power
The second first-round bout pitted Shinsuke Nakamura against Sheamus, another matchup featuring competitors with substantial history against the retiring Cena.[1] The King of Strong Style’s technical prowess against The Celtic Warrior’s hard-hitting offense guaranteed an exciting contest that would demonstrate the tournament’s competitive depth.
Championship Defenses Add to Evening’s Prestige
Beyond the tournament’s launch, Monday Night Raw featured championship action that underscored the program’s ongoing commitment to elevating its top competitors. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss defended their titles against challengers, ensuring that Raw maintained its status as WWE’s flagship program despite focusing heavily on Cena’s farewell narrative.[1]
The balance between honoring Cena’s historical moment and simultaneously advancing storylines involving the company’s active champions demonstrated WWE’s ability to juggle multiple narrative threads effectively. This equilibrium has become essential to the promotion’s success, particularly during high-profile departures that could otherwise overshadow regular programming.
Building Toward Saturday Night’s Main Event December 13
With the tournament now underway and Cena’s final appearance dates crystallizing, the countdown to Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13 has officially begun.[1] The special December broadcast will represent the culmination of months of storytelling, nostalgia, and the career retrospective that Cena’s retirement tour has provided.
The logistics of crowning a tournament winner while maintaining dramatic tension through the final weeks represent both a creative challenge and an opportunity for WWE to demonstrate its long-term booking capabilities. The company has successfully maintained fan interest throughout Cena’s farewell tour, and the tournament structure appears designed to sustain that engagement through the December finale.
The Broader Impact on WWE’s Current Landscape
Cena’s final month in active competition arrives during a period of significant change throughout WWE programming. The transition from traditional pay-per-view models to premium live events has altered the promotional calendar, yet the company remains committed to honoring its biggest stars’ final chapters with appropriate fanfare and storytelling investment.
The Last Time Is Now tournament represents WWE’s commitment to making Cena’s retirement match feel special and earned, rather than simply handing a challenger to the retiring superstar. By allowing the roster to compete for the honor, the company has democratized what could have otherwise been a predetermined encounter, giving multiple wrestlers investment in the outcome and multiple audiences investment in their preferred competitor’s path to facing Cena.
What’s Next: The Final Countdown
As Raw concluded from Boston on November 10, wrestling fans recognized that the final countdown toward professional wrestling history had officially begun.[1] The Last Time Is Now tournament will continue across subsequent episodes of Raw, gradually narrowing the field while simultaneously building anticipation for Cena’s ultimate in-ring farewell.
The elevation of tournament competitors, the emotional resonance of Cena’s homecoming, and the continued championship action on Raw all contributed to a program that honored wrestling tradition while simultaneously advancing modern storytelling narratives. For fans who have followed Cena’s unprecedented 20-plus year career, these final weeks represent an opportunity to celebrate one of professional wrestling’s greatest ambassadors and most consequential performers.
With the tournament underway and Cena’s Boston homecoming in the books, WWE has successfully launched what promises to be a compelling final chapter in one of wrestling’s greatest careers.