As the SAG/AFTRA strike continues, John Cena has decided it is time to make his triumphant return to WWE. The Doctor of Thuganomics will appear tonight on WWE Friday Night Smackdown and will remain in the Friday night mix for the next six weeks. It has also been confirmed that Cena will team with WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth “Freaking” Rollins to take on Imperium’s Ludwig Kaiser and Giovani Vinci at WWE Superstar Spectacle next weekend.
WrestleVotes reports that Cena will also be involved with WWE Payback this weekend, operating as the host of the show. As the host, it is likely the sixteen-time WWE Champion will interact with several talents on the roster, possibly opening the door for him to continue his feuds with Austin Theory and Grayson Waller.
Cena has quite a bit of history with WWE Payback, having competed on the three initial installments of the premium live event. At the first Payback in 2013, he defeated Ryback in a Three Stages Of Hell Match. For those curious, the first stage was a Lumberjack Match, which Ryback won, followed by a Tables Match, which Cena won, and lastly an Ambulance Match, which Cena won, taking the overall victory.
Cena returned to the Payback card the following year for a Last Man Standing Match against Bray Wyatt, which he won, putting on a period on their feud for the time being. The two men reignited their feud at WWE WrestleMania 36, delivering their epic Firefly Fun House Match, which Cena lost to Wyatt. The two men remained close until Wyatt’s untimely passing last week.
“Devastated by the news of the passing of Windham Rotunda,” Cena shared on social media. “My heart goes out to the entire Rotunda family. Windham brought the best out of me in so many ways. I’m forever grateful for the moments we shared. A sad day for all those he reached around the world. RIP.”
Cena’s last Payback appearance came one year later when he retained his WWE United States Championship in a Russian Chain Match against Rusev, now known as AEW star Miro. This match, like his one against Wyatt, served as the blowoff to their feud.