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If there was any a time to have Cena turn, the time is now. Reigns needs a legit foil to overcome that can cement him as the man. Cena is that guy, far and away.
I'd have Cena come back, and on his first night, staking his claim in the Rumble, stating he's still the face that runs the place. Cue Roman, who claims WWE is now his empire. Tease a conflict between the two but have them show mutual respect.
During the road to the Rumble, Cena and Hunter have several verbal exchanges, with Hunter warning Cena that Roman is now taking his spot. He warns a confident Cena that Hunter himself felt the same way ten years ago, when a young John Cena tapped him out on the biggest stage of them all. Cena shows signs of doubt.
Hunter continues to plant doubt, telling Cena he's not a young man anymore, and that hustle, loyalty and respect can't cut it at this stage of his career, and that a more cerebral approach is needed to survive. Cena, showing a bit more doubt, claims he'll dance with what brung him.
Hunter continues to court Cena, offering him a chance to cement his legacy and become champion again, joining Flair in immortality. Hunter even offers Cena the Mania main event, without having to win the Rumble, with the winner getting their match at Extreme Rules, with the agreement that he becomes the face of the Authority. Cena again declines, harking back to the tradition of the Rumble and rattling off legends who earned their way into the main event.
Rumble comes. Cena enters early on, and dominates early on. But he starts wearing down. The toll of being the man for over a decade sets in during the Rumble, and Cena is being dominated, holding on to a spot for dear life. Near the end, it's Ambrose and Cena. Ambrose has the advantage. Cena cannot keep pace with the lunatic fringe. The Authority, Hunter specifically, comes out. As Ambrose and Cena teeter over the top, Hunter hits the ring, and hold Cena in place while Ambrose falls to the floor. Cena, stunned, has his hand raise by Hunter, in disbelief of how he just won his third rumble match. He shoves Hunter, and the two tease engaging, but Cena walks off, distraught, disgusted.
The build to Mania focuses on Cena proving once again he's still the man, and that Roman will fall to the first real challenge he's faced since winning the title. Reigns meanwhile claims it's over for Cena, and he will grab the torch from Cena's hands after beating him down for good at Mania.
The match takes place, and despite his best efforts, Cena can't get the upper hand. Roman is bigger, stronger, faster, hungrier. Cena users veteran know-how to keep pace, but he can see the end is coming.
Cena counters a spear into an stf. Reigns powers out with ease, and suplexes a helpless Cena across the ring.
In desperation, Cena pulls the ref in front of him to avoid a spear. Cena now shows signs of desperation, as he retrieves the title belt, and teases hitting Reigns.
The hesitation costs him, as Reigns hits a spear before Cena can pull the trigger. With the ref down, Hunter comes sprinting to the ring to try and revive the ref. As soon as he hits the ring, he eats a spear from Reigns. Cena takes advantage, and waffles Roman with the belt. The ref slow counts a 2, with Reigns kicking out at the last second. Distraught, Cena lifts Reigns up for the AA. Reigns beats another slow 2 count. Cena is in shock. He cannot win.
Hunter comes to, and Cena looks down to him, seemingly heart broken, and nods his head. Hunter smirks, and does the same, followed by taking out the ref. Hunter removed his dress shirt to reveal a ref shirt underneath. He and Cena go to town on Reigns, who fights them off into Cena hits him several times with a chair. Hunter hits the pedigree. Cena, looking into the hard cam, a broken, beaten, desperate man, hits the AA, and Hunter counts the 3. Cena wins. Cena turns.
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