According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, plans for Cena extend beyond the Elimination Chamber match.
Dave Meltzer reports that WWE established plans in October or November for Cena to pursue his 17th World Championship at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas.
These championship aspirations align with Cena’s current farewell tour schedule, which began with his appearance on RAW’s Netflix premiere and continued through the Royal Rumble match, where he eliminated Braun Strowman, Finn Balor, and Logan Paul before being eliminated by eventual winner Jey Uso.
CM Punk Criticizes John Cena’s Direct Elimination Chamber Entry
John Cena secured a direct entry into the 2025 Elimination Chamber match following his Royal Rumble appearance. The development prompted a response from CM Punk, who earned his position in the match by defeating Sami Zayn on RAW.
During an appearance on Good Guy/Bad Guy with Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen, CM Punk addressed the contrast between his qualification process and Cena’s automatic entry.
So I’m looking at the Chamber like, ‘Oh, Cena has a buy? Cena just gets to be in it?’ Okay, Mr. Budapest, I’m filming Matchbox Cars in Budapest. I’m gonna just disappear and I get a gift. I want to qualify for the Chamber so I could slap the sh** out of John Cena.
That might be my last opportunity to do so. Obviously, Mania is a big deal, and I’m not putting that on the back burner or anything like that. But he’s already in it and he got a gift? He got a buy? He’s in the Chamber because he’s John Cena? Well, I’m gonna qualify and I’m gonna come after him.