John Cena Will Open Monday Night Raw After Shock WWE Return

John Cena, Roman Reigns - Money in the Bank 2021
WWE

After months of rumor and speculation, John Cena made his triumphant return to WWE at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view event on Sunday, July 18.

The 16-time world champion was met with a thunderous reaction from the live crowd at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, as he made his entrance and entered the ring to confront current Universal Champion, Roman Reigns. It marked Cena’s first WWE appearance in over a year, having last performed at WrestleMania 36 in March 2020.

After the show went off the air, The Suicide Squad star addressed the fans at the arena, making his intentions clear. “I want you to know this isn’t a one-night thing, but it’s special because it’s the first night,” he said. “As always, I want to thank all the WWE superstars for putting their lives and their bodies on the line to entertain all of you but most importantly… I missed you guys. I really, really missed you guys.”

Fans won’t have to wait long to see Cena again, as WWE has confirmed he will kick off tonight’s episode Monday Night Raw to explain why he chose now to return.

Rumors have circulated for weeks regarding Cena’s return, with many speculating a marquee match with Reigns at next month’s SummerSlam event in Las Vegas. Cena himself was asked about his WWE comeback during a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he confirmed that he will be coming back to the company but remained coy as to when.

Cena is currently starring in F9, the latest film in the Fast and Furious franchise. He is also set to play the title role in HBO Max’s Peacemaker, a spinoff from the upcoming feature The Suicide Squad. Additionally, it was announced earlier this month that Cena will play a part in the spy thriller Argylle alongside Henry Cavill and Dua Lipa. The movie starts filming in Europe next month, though it’s not expected to clash with Cena’s current WWE schedule.

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