With the Last Time Is Now Tournament set to decide the last WWE opponent of John Cena, we could soon see some absent stars showing up to take part.
From those who have been competing internationally to others who have been out of action due to injury — there are many options on the table for WWE should they look to pull out some surprises.
Here are six absent WWE stars that could return in the Last Time Is Now tournament to determine John Cena’s final opponent.
6. Omos
One star that absolutely could return and go all the way in the Last Time Is Now tournament is Omos.
Having been out of WWE action for quite some time, Omos has made recent appearances at NXT house shows.
The Nigerian Giant also entered and won the won the Copa Bardahlat AAA’s Triplemanía XXXIII event on August 16, 2025.
Potentially joining the field for the tournament and going all the way, it could be Omos who proves to be the tallest challenge in 2025 for John Cena’s farewell bout.
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5. GUNTHER
Already announced to be making his WWE return to be included in the Last Time Is Now tournament — GUNTHER now officially has a return date.
GUNTHER hasn’t been seen in WWE since he lost the World Heavyweight Championship to CM Punk at SummerSlam 2025.
With initial reports about the creative direction for Cena’s last match remaining static for months, GUNTHER may not be poised to just make a big return in the tournament but also win the entire thing.
Since it has been reported for a very long time that the creative direction of Cena’s final bout would point to a battle with GUNTHER — the absent star seems likely to not only return but take the entire tournament.
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4. Chad Gable
Chad Gable has been out of action since June 2025 when he suffered a legitimate shoulder injury that led to surgery.
Although his projected return to the ring has been forecasted into 2026, Gable is certainly motivated to make a speedy recovery.
While unlikely to return in the next couple of weeks, there are others from his American Made stable that should be entered into the tournament in his absence.
With the likes of Julius Creed, Brutus Creed or any of the Americanos — El Grande Americano (Ludwig Kaiser), Rayo Americano (Pete Dunne) or Bravo Americano (Tyler Bate) — there are certainly worthy substitutes in Gable’s absence.
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3. Charlie Dempsey
While Charlie Dempsey has been out of action in NXT as of late, he has been active in international competition.
Last appearing in Pro Wrestling NOAH along with Harlem Lewis last month, it could be that the return of Charlie Dempsey is awaiting a major main roster opportunity.
Able to join the Last Time Is Now tournament as not only an accomplished NXT star but also — the notably gifted son of William Regal — Dempsey could provide for a Cinderella story in the tournament.
Potentially ending up falling at the final hurdle, it may be that Dempsey isn’t destined to face Cena in the end but rather be one of the stars that is introduced to the main roster through the retirement tour.
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2. Tony D’Angelo
Tony D’Angelo has been absent from WWE since his last appearance on NXT TV in late July 2025.
With his NXT character seemingly facing a similar mysterious fate to the iconic HBO character Tony Sopranos, the Don of NXT saw the same controversial farewell as The Sopranos.
D’Angelo was shown in a vignette to end an episode of NXT where he was featured in his favorite restaurant, looked up and the show cut to black.
Potentially making his WWE return as a surprise entrant in the John Cena Last Time Is Now tournament, D’Angelo could end up proving to be a formidable foe to the others in the bracket.
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1. Jacob Fatu
Another absent WWE star that could make his surprise return for the Last Time Is Now tournament is Jacob Fatu.
While the SmackDown star has been out of action due to a dental injury, he was reportedly set to participate on the babyface Men’s WarGames team at Survivor Series.
This remains to be seen, however, if Fatu shows up an enters the Last Time Is Now tournament in advance of WarGames, we could see the groundwork laid for an interesting meeting between he and Cena ahead of the 17-time champion’s final match.
While a new report has potentially suggested otherwise, fans have speculated that John Cena could also compete in WarGames, so he and Fatu could perhaps be teammates and opponents within the next month.
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