Penta Lost His Chance to Fight in John Cena's Final Match

John Cena is one of the most famous WWE Superstars in history. With the wrestler's final match on the horizon, many other competitors want to earn the chance to be the one to retire John. Unfortunately, Penta won't be the one to step into the ring against the legendary champion.

What happened to Penta? Here's what we know about the Last Time Is Now Tournament, and what it means for the future of the Mexican wrestler. Only one Superstar will compete in John's final bout, and Penta just lost his chance to become a part of the highly anticipated contest.

According to the WWE's official website, Penta apparently suffered a shoulder injury during the Nov. 24 episode of Monday Night Raw. The Superstar competed in a match against Solo Sikoa in order to advance to the semifinals of the Last Time Is Now Tournament.

The tournament is meant to determine who will be the wrestler who will face John during his final match as a professional wrestler. Solo, Gunther, Jey Uso, and LA Knight remain the competition at the time of Penta's injury.

Fans don't know when Penta will be back in action. The official report delivered by the WWE didn't include a potential return date for the former AAA Latin American Champion. If the injury keeps Penta out of action for a long time, the wrestler could miss the 2026 edition of the Royal Rumble.

The Royal Rumble is a massive battle royal that leads the winner towards a World Championship match at WrestleMania, the company's biggest event of the year.

Penta missing the Royal Rumble could affect his WrestleMania chances. However, things move very quickly in professional wrestling. Whenever Penta returns to the WWE, fans will likely welcome him back with open arms.

A respected WWE competitor needs to be consistent. Ever since Penta arrived to the company, the WWE has allowed the former AEW competitor to shine in front of thousands of fans. The future looks promising for the man with no fear.

It all goes back to the first episode of Monday Night Raw from the Netflix era. The WWE teased Penta's debut before it was officially set for the Jan. 13 episode of the series (via WWE).

The success of Penta's debut is remembered as the beginning of a fulfilling WWE journey. After he was introduced to the promotion's fans, Penta competed in the 2025 Men's Royal Rumble Match before battling against Dominik Mysterio, Finn Bálor, and Bron Breakker at WrestleMania 41.

Penta still has to capture a singles championship in WWE. Besides his multiple matches for the Intercontinental Championship, the wrestler was a part of the 2025 Men's Money in the Bank Match.

As WrestleMania 42 draws closer, the possibilities for change in the WWE landscape grow exponentially. Depending on when Penta returns to the ring, the Superstar could sneak his way into major championship matches.

In the meantime, fans can get to enjoy John's final match during the Dec. 13 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event.