The December 15 edition of WWE Raw will serve as the first show since John Cena’s retirement match at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
With the WWE star known as “The G.O.A.T.” now retired, it should be interesting to see what the company has in store for the fans on Monday Night Raw from Hershey, Pennsylvania.
From character changes to new storyline directions, WWE Raw should be in store for some alterations in the weeks and months to come following the end of John Cena’s legendary career.
Here are six potential changes to WWE Raw after John Cena’s retirement.
6. GUNTHER becomes the most hated heel in the company
At the December 13 WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, GUNTHER defeated John Cena in his final match.
This bout came to an end when “The Ring General” made Cena tap out for the first time in 20 years.
Following his victory, GUNTHER received massive heat from the fans in Washington, D.C. right after the result and then when he was leaving from the arena.
Becoming the most hated heel in WWE today, GUNTHER should receive one of the loudest heel reactions in recent memory on the December 15 edition of Raw.
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5. Dominik Mysterio’s bragging rights
Dominik Mysterio picked up the biggest victory of his career when he defeated John Cena to become a two-time WWE Intercontinental Champion.
Going from the most hated star on the WWE roster to a very popular heel, “Dirty Dom” now has bragging rights for being the last star to defeat Cena on a premium live event.
Once again a double champion also holding the AAA Mega Champion, Mysterio should use this milestone for his career to propel himself to bigger heights in 2026.
Now that Cena is officially retired, Dominik Mysterio can use this to garner some heat and remain heel for a little while longer despite the growing cheers from the fans as of late.
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4. More WWE NXT talent featured on Monday nights
One of the best parts of the December 13 edition of WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event was the other bouts outside of John Cena’s final match featuring NXT talent.
The show featured NXT Champion Oba Femi, Sol Ruca, Je’Von Evans and TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater.
With all these young stars getting featured on this important show, it should lead to more exposure for the NXT brand moving forward.
Having some NXT talent being spotlights on WWE Raw could be an interesting development that gives Cena’s retirement and sentiment going out some lasting impact on the company.
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3. New members to The Vision
At WWE Survivor Series 2025, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, Logan Paul, Drew McIntyre and Brock Lesnar defeated CM Punk, The Usos, Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns in the Men’s WarGames Match.
This victory came off the heels of a masked man entering the steel cage to superkick and Curb Stomp CM Punk. After an investigation began, the masked man showed up again to help The Vision twice on the December 8 WWE Raw.
With the masked man’s involvement in The Vision’s business, this should lead to a reveal that gives the stable a new member, but it might not stop there.
Following rumors of the likes of Austin Theory, Ethan Page and Ricky Saints joining the group, The Vision could bring in a number of new members in the faction to close 2025 and start 2026.
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2. Bron Breakker taking the mantle of WWE’s top star
Following his win in the Men’s WarGames at WWE Survivor Series 2025, Bron Breakker has been pushed to the forefront of The Vision stable.
Now scheduled to face CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship on the January 5, 2026 episode of WWE Raw, Breakker is in line to be elevated as a top star in the company in the new year.
After his fiery promo on Punk on the December 1 episode of WWE Raw, it seems like Breakker has all the motivation he needs to take the mantle left behind by John Cena.
With Cena now enjoying retirement, it could be time for Breakker to achieve his destiny and become a main event star worthy of following in the footsteps of “The Last Real Champion.”
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1. Added motivation for CM Punk’s World Heavyweight Championship run
Back at the November 1 edition of WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, CM Punk defeated Jey Uso to win the World Heavyweight Title.
This became Punk’s first real world title reign since making his return to wrestling in 2021. Despite that being enough motivation, “The Best In The World” may have been given a bit more.
Sharing a moment with his longtime rival John Cena after his retirement match, Punk was given some words that seemed to move both him and Cody Rhodes.
With Cena looking to him to lead the way for the next generation, Punk has a bit more inspiration to make this World Heavyweight Champion reign something special for his rival to be proud of.
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