WWE Rumor: John Cena Has a WrestleMania 35 Opponent

Now that it's January we've officially started our trot to WrestleMania 35. And even though it's still a few months away, John Cena reportedly has his opponent set.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Cena is slated to face Lars Sullivan and that angle will begin at some point during the Royal Rumble. Cena announced his entry into the hallowed battle royal earlier this week, so if this rumor proves to be true, expect Sullivan to ruin his evening.

If Cena vs. Sullivan feels random to you, chances are you are not alone. Despite a barrage of vignettes, Sullivan has yet to show up on WWE cameras. WWE has been teasing his arrival for months now, and per The Observer, Sullivan's debut has been delayed by a reported anxiety attack.

To most of WWE's fan base, Sullivan is still a stranger. Having joined WWE in 2014 on a recommendation by Bobby Lashley, Sullivan has taken quickly to professional wrestling as he becomes one of NXT's most reliable heels. Sullivan looks like a bizarro version of Bruno Sammartino, but with a far worse moral compass. Sullivan is a callback to the old school monster heel as he uses his 6'3 300-lbs frame to utterly dominate whoever stands in his way. He would have been perfect for Super Cena to slay in 2010.

But in 2019, WWE has plenty of work to do to convince us this is a marquee match. Considering Sullivan has yet to introduce himself to the WWE Universe, a WrestleMania match with John Cena is quite the opportunity.

So how true could this rumor be? Well first, it seems unlikely that Cena will be involved in ay championship pursuits for WM35. With his sporadic schedule, Cena simply isn't around much these days, so him holding titles seems like a bad plan. So anyone hoping that WrestleMania 35 will be about Cena eclipsing Ric Flair's World Championship record is in for a disappointment. Bt even though he won't be chasing WWE gold, on principle, Cena must have a significant WrestleMania match. But given his long tenure with the company, there's not much WWE can give us that we haven't already seen — so perhaps pairing him with a fresh NXT face is WWE's best option.

For now, consider this rumor to at least be possible. But if and when Sullivan ruins the Rumble for Cena, we'll know they're likely destined for 'Mania. However, with the Rumble still three weeks away, WW has plenty of time to call an audible.