In a surprising — and arguably ill-advised — booking decision, WWE has allowed John Cena to defeat Dominik Mysterio and claim the Intercontinental Championship.

The move raises serious questions about the direction of the title, the future of Dominik Mysterio, and whether Cena’s win makes sense given his imminent retirement.

Below, we break down the key reasons why this appears a major misstep for WWE.

The decision to have Cena step into the ring and snatch the Intercontinental title from Dominik Mysterio was orchestrated by WWE’s content chief, Triple H.

In doing so, WWE essentially paused the momentum of one of RAW’s biggest heels — Dominik Mysterio.

Mysterio had been building a strong presence as a villain, aligned with The Judgment Day, and was firmly positioned for an elevated run.

By taking the title away from him, WWE seems to have sacrificed long-term storytelling for a short lived celebration of Cena’s finale.

According to IBTimes, the decision “felt like a wasted opportunity.”
In effect, this appears to be a case of WWE bending the narrative to give Cena one more accolade rather than advancing Mysterio’s heel ascendancy.

It is going to be a very predictable title reign

When a legend like John Cena wins a title in the twilight of his career, the expected trajectory is obvious: a short reign, a farewell tour, perhaps a title drop before final match, and then retirement.

That predictability undermines the excitement a championship should generate.

The Intercontinental Championship, once a hot mid-card prize filled with unpredictable challengers and dynamic storylines, risks becoming a prop for Cena’s swan-song rather than a launching pad for new talent.

Because Cena has only a handful of dates left in his career, his reign is unlikely to build fresh intrigue or elevate other wrestlers meaningfully.

Instead it appears to lock the title into a “thank you” moment for Cena, rather than setting up new chapters.

The title would have been more prestigious had a legend like John Cena never been able to even touch it

There’s a strong argument that the Intercontinental Championship gains prestige when it becomes the domain of emerging stars — those carving their legacy rather than wrapping one up.

The decision to let Cena finally win the belt arguably sends a message that the title was incomplete until a legend held it.

That may sound laudable for Cena, but it undermines the title’s role as a platform for building future main eventers.

By getting the belt now, Cena ties the title to his legacy rather than to the next generation.

Had he never held it, the title could have remained a “prize to achieve” for others, making its pursuit more meaningful.

By capturing it so late in his career, Cena has arguably taken away a valuable moment from someone else — someone who could have been elevated by winning it.

With just three dates left in his career, it does not make sense to have John Cena win a new championship

If we examine Cena’s timeline — his announced retirement, his farewell tour — the logic of giving him a new title run becomes shaky.

He isn’t building toward a long-term reign.

He won the Intercontinental Championship recently, completing his Grand Slam status.

But for what purpose?

From a storyline perspective, the title should serve as a launching pad.

From a business perspective, the title should help build new stars or sustain compelling feuds.

Cena’s win checks a personal box but arguably does little for the future of the title or the roster.

In short: booking Cena to win the belt at this juncture seems more about giving him a final celebratory moment, rather than advancing the prestige of the Intercontinental Championship or elevating Dominik Mysterio (or other up-and-comers) properly.