John Cena's major WWE rival wants to defeat him and win the Intercontinental Championship in his last-ever match

John Cena has feuded with over a dozen WWE Superstars throughout his twenty-plus-year career in the Stamford-based promotion. Meanwhile, Sheamus wants to face Cena and win the Intercontinental Championship at Saturday Night's Main Event in December.

In 2009, Sheamus became a major star in the Stamford-based promotion six months into his time on the main roster, as The Celtic Warrior defeated John Cena and won the WWE Championship. The win arguably changed the young star's career, and the Irish-born star eventually became an industry veteran with his work in the company.

In an appearance on Busted Open, the multi-time WWE World, United States, and Tag Team Champion expressed how it would be a great full-circle moment for him to beat The Franchise Player and win the Intercontinental Championship in John Cena's final match, as he has more of a story with Cena than any other participant in the tournament.

"I think it would be a great full circle moment for me... It was a really, really fast rise for me to win the title, and then it really put me on the map, and I ran with it. I ran with John [Cena] for quite a while and learned a lot from him... So, it would be massive, and I feel like there's nobody else there with skin in the game... Plus, on top of that, he won that one title that I've been chasing like a lunatic for the last 5 years, the Intercontinental Championship. So, there are two things now. So, the stars are aligning here big time, and I'm hungry for this," Sheamus said.

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John Cena will defend his Intercontinental Championship at WWE Survivor Series 2025

The Intercontinental Championship was often used to elevate rising stars to the main event scene in the Stamford-based promotion. Over the years, some stars have won the title but never become a world champion in the company, while others, including main event stars, have returned to the mid-card scene to compete for the title.

However, John Cena was rarely seen in the division or around the championship in his prime. Earlier this month, he won the title in Boston and became a Men's Grand Slam Champion. In the latest edition, he agreed to defend the title against Dominik Mysterio at WWE Survivor Series 2025.

If you use quotes from the article, please credit Busted Open and provide an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.

Edited by Aakaansh Sukale