**6 Big WWE Superstars Not Part of John Cena’s “The Last Time Is Now” Tournament**
John Cena’s highly anticipated “The Last Time Is Now” tournament will feature 16 superstars from RAW, SmackDown, NXT, and even some who are not currently active in WWE. Fans have speculated about the possible return of former legends like Adam Copeland (Edge) and Chris Jericho to compete against The Champ for one final showdown.
So far, Sheamus and Rusev have already secured their spots in the tournament after winning their respective matches on RAW. However, WWE has notably left out several big names, much to the surprise of many fans.
In this article, we’ll discuss six major WWE superstars who are not part of John Cena’s tournament lineup.
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### #6 CM Punk
Known as “The Best in the World,” CM Punk is absent from the tournament because he already faced Cena at the Night of Champions pay-per-view event in June 2025. That match was heavily promoted as their final clash in WWE and was contested for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Interestingly, this was their first-ever encounter with Cena in a heel role and Punk as a face. The match saw outside interference from Seth Rollins, which Cena capitalized on to secure the victory, marking the end of their in-ring rivalry.
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### #5 Randy Orton
“The Viper” Randy Orton is also missing from the tournament roster. This is because he recently squared off against John Cena at Backlash in May. Orton was Cena’s first challenger after Cena won the title at WrestleMania 41.
During the match, Cena played a heel, utilizing underhanded tactics to prevent Orton from capturing his 15th WWE Championship. Orton has been notably absent from WWE television in recent days, leading to speculation about a possible return on SmackDown, potentially to participate in the upcoming Survivor Series: WarGames match.
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### #4 AJ Styles
AJ Styles, known as “The Phenomenal One,” was also left out of the tournament as he has recently had a memorable match with Cena at the Crown Jewel pay-per-view. Their encounter was regarded as one of the best of Cena’s career, highlighted by Cena paying tribute to his former rivals by using their finishing moves.
In the end, Cena emerged victorious, closing a significant chapter in his in-ring rivalry with the TNA legend.
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### #3 Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar, “The Beast,” is noticeably absent as well, having faced Cena in their last-ever match that turned out to be a brutal, one-sided contest. Lesnar dominated Cena from start to finish, delivering a decisive squash victory.
This outcome surprised many fans who expected Cena to put up a stronger fight. Since then, Lesnar has not appeared on WWE programming but is rumored to be returning ahead of the Survivor Series: WarGames event.
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### #2 Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes, the current Undisputed WWE Champion, is not part of the tournament because he recently battled Cena at SummerSlam 2025. Cody defeated Cena to reclaim the championship he lost at WrestleMania 41.
This match also marked the conclusion of Cena’s controversial heel run, as he turned back to a fan-favorite (face) character following his loss.
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### #1 Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns, often referred to as “The Big Dog,” is notably missing due to his current part-time status within WWE. Reigns has not faced Cena in any match over the past 18 months.
Many fans had hoped to see a final Cena vs. Reigns encounter at the December 13, 2025, SNME event. However, Reigns’ participation has not been confirmed, making a clash unlikely at this time.
That said, Reigns may still return to compete in the Survivor Series: WarGames match later this month, but a meeting with Cena doesn’t appear to be scheduled.
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While John Cena’s “The Last Time Is Now” tournament promises to showcase an exciting mix of talent, these six major superstars’ absence only adds to the intrigue and speculation surrounding Cena’s potential final WWE chapter. Fans will no doubt be watching closely as the tournament unfolds and WWE’s end-of-year events approach.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/6-wwe-stars-clearly-left-last-time-is-now-tournament
