John Cena's Next Opponent Revealed at WWE SmackDown, The 17-Time World Champion to Face Former Rival in Rematch After 14 Years

John Cena's heel run continues. After getting the better of his greatest rival, Randy Orton, at WWE Backlash 2025, it is now time for him to face his biggest fan. John Cena vs R Truth has been confirmed for the Saturday Night Main Event at Friday Night SmackDown.

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John Cena to Face R-Truth at WWE Saturday Night Main Event

In the first SmackDown since Backlash, Truth addressed Cena putting him through to the table in the post-event show last week, and stood firm on his stance that it wasn't Cena who came across him last week, it was someone else. R-Truth intervened in the Cena vs Orton match, and was the reason why Cena retained, yet he took no credit for it.

Truth appeared in an interview with Wade Barrett during the weekly show and announced that he will face Cena later in the month at Saturday Night Main Event. The WWE veteran said that he does not want to fight John but if he has to “beat him back to his senses,” Truth said, he will. He’ll never give up and will continue to live by three words: hustle, loyalty, and respect.

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Will R-Truth Bring Back the Real John Cena?

It should be noted that John Cena embraced his grey shades at WWE Elimination Chamber. Alongside the Rock, the then 16-time world champion attacked Cody Rhodes. Cena went on to face Rhodes at WrestleMania 41, where he used unethical means in the ring to win the Championship and accomplished the milestone of winning the 17th World Championship. He then faced Randy Orton and used similar dark arts to get the better of the Viper. The storyline has brought R-Truth now, and thus it will be intriguing to see whether Cena continues to act as a heel or will R-Truth make him meet his former self, the hero who inspired generations in the last two decades. This will be second time Cena and Truth will square off at a PLE. They had a match at Capital Punishment 14 years ago.