John Cena

It may not have been the kind of appearance many fans were expecting, but John Cena's WrestleMania 35 cameo at least gave his army of supporters the first glimpse of the Cenation leader on WWE television for months.

Cena has been involved with WrestleMania on some level since the 20th show, a staggering 15 years ago (although he was limited to a brief appearance at WrestleMania 32). This year, his appearance was far less likely, not least because WWE is becoming increasingly confident in allowing its younger, full-time talent to take the spotlight.

And after taking down Elias while working his old Dr. of Thuganomics gimmick on Sunday's show, it's already interesting to ponder when fans will next see Cena on television.

Immediately after his appearance, Cena said the following to WWE's YouTube channel:

"That's my one rabbit out of the hat. I don't know what the hell I am going to do after this. For years, my contribution on television has helped sell tickets to this event. This year, that was not true. And it is still completely sold out, and everyone is still completely on the edge of their seat.

"And I've said this since the day I walked in the door: The WWE does not need me or any one individual; it needs the fans. I'm at a very good perspective with the fact that they don't need me. They're just fine without me."

The acknowledgement from Cena that WWE doesn't need him any more is significant. It means that, for the next few months at least, while the company establishes its post-WrestleMania storylines moving into the summer, Cena is unlikely to be a regular fixture on television.

The company's major champions already look destined for feuds with other full-time stars: Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre seems logical, Kofi Kingston vs. Cena wouldn't be smart for numerous reasons and Finn Balor and Samoa Joe already appear to be locked into rivalries with Sami Zayn and Braun Strowman, respectively.

So in reality, that doesn't leave Cena with much to do, especially when you glance over the company's pay-per-view schedule moving into the summer. Sure, there could be a one-time appearance at Money in the Bank in May, but that wouldn't make sense unless he was going to win the briefcase.

Without any clear storyline for the 16-time world champion or reason to show up over the next few months, one window becomes more and more likely as the next time we will see Cena on WWE television in the United States: SummerSlam.

The biggest show of the summer is, like WrestleMania, a chance for WWE to put on a huge event and tempt back some part-time guys to compete. Interestingly, Cena wasn't present for SummerSlam last year, but that doesn't mean much moving forward.

The other option is one of WWE's overseas pay-per-view events. The company is slated to return to Saudi Arabia in June, and given how Cena was booked in a huge match against Triple H at last year's Greatest Royal Rumble, it can't be ruled out again that he will once against fly halfway across the world to be involved.

Regardless, don't expect to see Cena on regular programming for a good few months. The next possibility in the U.S. is seemingly ahead of a major pay-per-view like SummerSlam, but with WWE going overseas before then, that's the most likely time when Cena fans will see their hero compete again.

With ratings flailing, Vince McMahon and family got on stage in late 2018 and promised to start listening to fans and giving them what they want. 

WrestleMania 35 was the culmination of that promise. 

Yes, it was messy. The show went entirely too long. Becky Lynch's win had an awkward finish. Michael Cole's voice was cracking. WWE didn't even run a recap video package at the end. Lynch got the titles, a few fireworks went off and that was a wrap. Fans were likely sprinting for the exits. It was a work night, after all. 

Yet the show delivered on WWE's promise. 

The full card rundown says it all. Something as simple as Curt Hawkins' losing streak ending by winning the Raw tag team titles with Zack Ryder was a feel-good moment. 

And that was just the beginning. 

In as epic a tone-setting match as one will see at a WrestleMania, Seth Rollins stripped Brock Lesnar of the universal title quickly after some pre-match shenanigans.

Call it an apology of sorts from WWE—they botched getting the title off Lesnar a few times and put it on him again when Roman Reigns left. Sorry, here's the match, boom. The title's back on Raw. 

Nine title matches. Seven title changes.

Sixteen matches. Twelve face victories.#WrestleMania35

— Adam Silverstein (@SilversteinAdam) April 8, 2019

What else? AJ Styles put on a classic and beat Randy Orton in a 50-50 match. The Usos retained the SmackDown tag titles, surviving their punishment for aiding Kofi Kingston. Shane McMahon and The Miz did wild stunts. The IIconics were bestowed with the 'Mania platform to ascend to women's tag champs by downing The Boss 'n' Hug Connection. 

Then there was Kingston. It was understandable if fans felt a sense of dread about his fight with Daniel Bryan. Rollins had won earlier in the night, and Lynch was presumably going to win the main event. If WWE wanted to avoid giving out three title changes—all to the fan favorites—this was going to be the match where the good guy lost. 

But he didn't. Kingston matched the technical prowess of Bryan blow for blow and emerged the winner. In a touching moment afterward, he celebrated with not just his fellow New Day members, but also his children, wrapping up a nice 11-year journey that now feels like it's just beginning. 

The cool-down matches after didn't swerve away from the theme. Samoa Joe, a fan favorite often clamored for as a main event contender, absolutely demolished Rey Mysterio in about 60 seconds to keep the United States title. Reigns won over Drew McIntyre, with the announcers detailing how it was a win for those affected by similar ailments as to those the former universal champion faced outside the ring.

Even Triple H and Batista was a lot of fun, with weird nose-ring pulling, tripping entering the ring and a dash of Ric Flair for good measure. 

THIS is what #WrestleMania is ALL ABOUT.#WWEChampionship @TrueKofi @WWEBigE @XavierWoodsPhD pic.twitter.com/AOijtUS0vz

— WWE (@WWE) April 8, 2019

Maybe the only negative was Kurt Angle losing to Baron Corbin in his farewell match. But that's easily waved off—it isn't uncommon for a legend to go out on his back, putting over up-and-coming talent as he says goodbye. Fans are safe to assume that's what happened here. 

There's more (this show was entirely too long). John Cena busted out the Thuganomics. Finn Balor brought out The Demon to win the intercontinental title from Bobby Lashley. The Irishman's entrance was superb, while Triple H's was—at the very least—an acceptable length. 

Then there was the main event. 

It felt like a proper, brutal fight. Sometimes the hyped bouts, where participants promise violence, fall flat. Think that one time Dean Ambrose fought Lesnar at a WrestleMania. 

Not here. All three women were wearing welts quickly. Ronda Rousey took a nasty spill head-first outside. Charlotte Flair went through a table. It goes on and on, but everyone upped their game, slowly breathing new life into an understandably fading crowd. 

In a fitting turn of events, the main event had an odd finish. WWE backed itself into a corner of sorts with Rousey and it feels like the roll-up finish was baked into existence because they didn't actually want an MMA legend tapping out. But Lynch had to get the win over Rowdy or it wouldn't feel as legitimate.

So the compromise was a surprise roll-up move after a slam, where unfortunately one of Rousey's shoulders didn't stay down during the three-count and the announcing team went on to awkwardly talk about it. 

NEW #RAW #WomensChampion.
NEW #SDLive #WomensChampion.@BeckyLynchWWE just made HISTORY! #WrestleMania #BeckyLynch pic.twitter.com/thDQ3KUDMz

— WWE (@WWE) April 8, 2019

Yes, it's a little disappointing the first-ever women's main event ended on a roll-up. And the fans in attendance probably weren't too thrilled. But this is WWE. It can get turned into a storyline in a heartbeat. The finish leaves a little wiggle room for an eventual rematch, whenever it may be depending on if Rousey decides to take time off or not. 

There is an important catch to the main event—the right person won. Finish aside, WWE had its finger on the pulse of fans and didn't blink while pulling the trigger. They could have easily treated Rousey like Lesnar and had her retain even if she is leaving. Or the belts could have gone to Flair, who certainly has the name and resume, and she would draw plenty of heat for picking up the win over the fan favorite. 

But the McMahons and WWE made a promise some months ago and delivered when it mattered most. Wrestling inside the ring (or getting into it, Batista) isn't always perfect, which fans can understand. But the decisions can be, provided the company wants to make it happen. 

At WrestleMania 35, WWE did. The favorites got their wins, and by extension, so did the fans. That it was a little sloppy and exhausting at times is fitting more than anything else. 

The Doctor of Thuganomics returned to WWE at WrestleMania 35 from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday.

Elias was in the middle of delivering a musical tour de force in the ring and on the cusp of unveiling a WrestleMania theme for the ages. However, John Cena had other plans and brought back the gimmick that originally made him WWE's biggest star.

Cena dropped bars on Elias and then just plain dropped Elias.

"This means #WalkWithElias?
Nah, I'm not really feelin' it.
Because without the guitar, what it really means
is Wasted Wrestling Experiment."#WrestleMania @JohnCena pic.twitter.com/7qddPz9raI

— WWE WrestleMania (@WrestleMania) April 8, 2019

WORD. LIFE.#WrestleMania @JohnCena pic.twitter.com/wkbWgdaAjI

— WWE (@WWE) April 8, 2019

Many wondered if Cena would involve himself at WrestleMania 35.

He hasn't wrestled since January, and his commitments outside of WWE precluded him from being a presence on Raw leading up to Sunday's event. That basically ruled out a headline match, but his segment with Elias showed how valuable he remains, even in a non-wrestling role.

The grandeur and glitz of WrestleMania will take over MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday night. While we know many things, including the fact that Ronda Rousey, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch will become the first women to main-event The Showcase of the Immortals as they battle for the Raw and SmackDown Women's Championships in a Winner Take All match, there remain some unanswered questions ahead of the event.

Some surround unscheduled talent and whether they will appear on the show or not. Another, the outcome of one of the highest-profile bouts on the card.

What answers, if any, can be provided before wrestling's greatest spectacle hits the WWE Network airwaves Sunday afternoon?

First, a look at the massive card.

   

Match Card

Triple Threat, Winner Takes All match for the Raw and SmackDown Women's Championships: Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair

WWE Championship match: Kofi Kingston vs. Daniel Bryan

Universal Championship match: Seth Rollins vs. Brock Lesnar

Intercontinental Championship match: Finn Balor vs. Bobby Lashley

United States Championship match: Rey Mysterio vs. Samoa Joe

Raw Tag Team Championships match: Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins vs. The Revival

SmackDown Tag Team Championships match: The Usos vs. Aleister Black and Ricochet vs. The Bar vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev

Women's Tag Team Championships match: Bayley and Sasha Banks vs. Beth Phoenix and Natalya vs. The IIconics vs. Nia Jax and Tamina Snuka

Cruiserweight Championship match: Tony Nese vs. Buddy Murphy

No Holds Barred: Triple H vs. Batista

Falls Count Anywhere: The Miz vs. Shane McMahon

Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre

Kurt Angle vs. Baron Corbin

AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton

Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Women's Battle Royal

     

In What Capacity Will John Cena and The Undertaker Appear Sunday?

Both John Cena and The Undertaker are in town for WrestleMania.

We saw the former at Saturday's Hall of Fame ceremony as he presented Sue Aitchison the 2019 Warrior Award. It is the first time Cena appeared on WWE television since teaming with Becky Lynch to defeat Andrade and Zelina Vega in a SmackDown mixed tag team match.

The Deadman's wife, Michelle McCool, was at the ceremony in support of Torrie Wilson.

There are no two Superstars more synonymous with The Show of Shows over the last decade than Cena and Undertaker. Entire shows have been built around them, and rightfully so. They are icons of the industry, household names and transcendent performers.

Both are expected to appear on this year's broadcast. How remains to be seen.

We know Elias has been promising a major musical performance, and if last year taught us anything, it is that Cena has no problem interrupting the sinister songster. Could the 16-time world champion become the latest to infuriate Elias, interrupting his performance and putting a damper on his WrestleMania 35?

Perhaps it will be the Deadman in that spot. After all, Elias began utilizing Undertaker's Old School maneuver in matches. More than a tip of the hat to an industry great, maybe it was a hint at what fans could expect on the grand stage. 

One thing that does appear to be certain: Cena will not be facing Kurt Angle in his farewell match, as that spot appears to be Baron Corbin's, whether anyone likes it or not.

    

Will WWE Creative Really Put Seth Rollins Over Brock Lesnar?

The Universal Championship is on the line Sunday night as Seth Rollins challenges Brock Lesnar in one of this year's marquee bouts. There is a great deal of excitement for The BeastSlayer and 2019 Royal Rumble winner possibly dethroning Lesnar, but recent history tells us Lesnar simply does not lose when you expect him to.

A year ago, on the same stage, he flipped expectation the bird and defeated Roman Reigns in a relatively one-sided ass-whupping. He successfully retained against The Big Dog at WWE Greatest Royal Rumble and defeated Braun Strowman to begin his current reign at Crown Jewel.

With uncertainty surrounding his contractual status with WWE, what once felt like a sure thing now has a shadow of doubt cast over it. Rollins downing Lesnar and standing tall Monday night, in a current landscape in which 50-50 booking is prevalent, only creates further concern that Lesnar's reign as champion may not come crashing down Sunday at WrestleMania.

If it does not, expect venomous rebuttals from fans tired of the part-time champion holding Raw's top prize hostage, and rightfully so. They have seen this story play out before, and no sequel or Hollywood remake will make it any more palatable.

Rollins needs to win the match Sunday, leave East Rutherford as champion and usher in a new era for Raw in which the flagship does not have to wait months at a time for its champion to grace it with his ever-so-important presence.

    

What Are Ronda Rousey's Post-WrestleMania Plans?

Without Ronda Rousey, women would not be headlining WrestleMania.

It is a fact that Charlotte Flair admitted in her latest WWE Chronicle special and one even Rowdy's biggest detractors cannot deny. She is a star, has crossover appeal and has brought legitimacy to the women's division that the writing team could not accomplish on its best day.

The question ahead of her appearance in Sunday's HERstoric main event is whether or not she is taking a hiatus following WrestleMania.

If so, it could determine how WWE Creative and Vince McMahon himself approach the finish of the bout.

If Rousey stays, preserving her big-fight aura and unbeaten streak remain key. Even if she does not leave victoriously, which she should not, protecting Rousey's un-pinned and un-submitted streak will allow for a one-on-one match between her and Becky Lynch at some point down the line.

Sacrifice either of those defeats Sunday and you ruin a legitimate opportunity for a big-money showdown.

Should Rowdy take the hiatus, then beating her has far less consequence. Use her star to put Lynch over and make The Man the enormous star she should be coming out of the show. 

Wrestling fans, rejoice! While much of the build to WWE’s biggest show has been lackluster as usual, the actual WrestleMania 35 match card is so full of talent that the show is guaranteed to be entertaining.

With top matches such as Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins; Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair; and Daniel Bryan vs. Kofi Kingston, there is at least one match at WrestleMania that will give the WWE Universe what they want.

Here is the match card, predicted winners, stipulations and potential spoilers for the 2019 edition of WrestleMania.

Match	Title  / Stipulation	Predicted Winner
Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Seth Rollins	Singles match for Universal Championship	Seth Rollins
Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Becky Lynch	Triple Threat for Raw and SmackDown Women's Championships	Becky Lynch
Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Kofi Kingston	Singles match for WWE Championship	Kofi Kingston
Buddy Murphy (c) vs. Tony Nese	Singles match for Cruiserweight Championship	Buddy Murphy
Triple H vs. Batista	No Holds Barred match	Triple H
Kurt Angle vs. Baron Corbin	Singles match	Kurt Angle
Shane McMahon vs. The Miz	Falls Count Anywhere match	The Miz
AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton	Singles match	Randy Orton
André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal	Battle Royal	Braun Strowman
Samoa Joe (c) vs. Rey Mysterio	Singles match for the United States Championship	Samoa Joe
Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Finn Bálor	Singles match for Intercontinental Championship	Finn Balor
Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre	Singles match	Roman Reigns
The Boss 'n' Hug Connection (c) vs. The Divas of Doom vs. The IIconics vs. Nia Jax and Tamina	Fatal 4-Way tag team match for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship	Banks and Bayley
The Usos (c) vs. The Bar vs. Aleister Black and Ricochet vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev	Fatal 4-Way for SmackDown Tag Team Championships	Black and Ricochet
The Revival (c) vs. Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder	Tag team match for the Raw Tag Team Championship	Revival
WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal	Battle Royal	Asuka

John Cena Working a Match at WrestleMania?

The WrestleMania card lists 16 matches, but there are still rumors swirling WWE legend John Cena could be booked to wrestle Sunday.

According to Wrestling Observer Radio’s Dave Meltzer (h/t WrestlingInc.com), Cena has signed a deal to work a match, but it remains unclear who he will be facing. Meltzer said that while he doesn’t know what Cena will be doing, it will have nothing to do with Kurt Angle’s retirement match.

While Meltzer says Cena won’t wrestle Angle, that would be the perfect role for the 16-time champion. Angle can come out and give the fans what they want by destroying Baron Corbin in a matter of seconds.

Then, the Olympic gold medalist can get what he wants by going out on his back to Cena.

        

Will Undertaker Wrestle Sunday?

Another Superstar who could be in store for action Sunday is The Undertaker. Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com reported The Deadman would be in New Jersey for WrestleMania 35 this weekend.

Undertaker has become synonymous with WrestleMania, yet he has been absent from the build and the vast majority of the advertising for the show. If he appears this year, WWE missed an opportunity to use his image to help sell the company’s biggest event of the year.

With Finn Balor bringing out The Demon for his Intercontinental Championship match against Bobby Lashley, Undertaker could distract Balor during the bout and cost him the victory, setting up a long-term storyline that culminates with a match in Saudi Arabia or at SummerSlam.

Undertaker could also attack Elias, which would be an acceptable consolation prize.

          

Lars Sullivan Debuting Soon?

One of the names that has circulated the rumor mill the most in recent months is Lars Sullivan, who could be ready to make his main-roster debut at any time, including this weekend at WrestleMania.

Meltzer wrote in a recent Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestlingInc.com) that Sullivan’s debut is imminent and will take place sooner than later, despite saying there is no clear timetable for his return.

If Sullivan is available for Sunday’s WrestleMania show, the perfect place to have him debut would be in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

Not only does the company have the chance to make Sullivan look dominant by letting him clear out several Superstars from the Battle Royal, but the WWE could also build to a marquee matchup against Braun Strowman.

For more wrestling talk, listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics or catch the latest episode in the player above (some language NSFW).

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe. 

    

Rollins Blasts Lesnar Ahead of WrestleMania

In an interview with Anthony Sulla-Heffinger of Yahoo Sports, Seth Rollins took shots at Brock Lesnar just days before their Universal Championship match at WrestleMania 35.

Rollins expressed his belief that the majority of WWE fans are ready for a change at the top on Raw:

"I think people are just sick of it. You've seen and heard it every single week. They want to see a champion who is going to be there, that's going to represent them, that's a champion they can be proud of and one that inspires people. 

"Brock Lesnar doesn't inspire anybody. He's an industry killer, not an industry builder. He cares about no one but himself and he'll tell you that, it's been that way his entire life. He was given the opportunity years ago to carry the mantle here in WWE but it was too tough for him and he walked away. Granted, he's been able to come back and do things on his own terms, but his own terms only serve himself."

Since Rollins won the Royal Rumble, the build toward his match with Lesnar has been all about the notion that the WWE Universe is tired of Lesnar being a part-time champion and would prefer for a workhorse like Rollins to carry the title.

Rollins got the better of Lesnar on the go-home episode of Raw prior to WrestleMania, which has actually created some doubt with regard to whether he will pull out the victory.

Lesnar has a penchant for winning when he is expected to lose, such as his win over Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 34 last year.

Fans may be ready for a new Universal champion, but based on how much heat Lesnar garners as a heel simply by being a part-time performer, it wouldn't be shocking if WWE decides to stick with him.

     

Angle Discusses Cena's WrestleMania Role

In an interview with Gorilla Position on Friday, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle talked about his desire to face John Cena in his retirement match and whether Cena will have a role at WrestleMania 35.

Angle noted that while he wanted to have his final match with Cena, he believes WWE has other plans in place for the 16-time world champion:

🚨BREAKING NEWS?!🚨

Kurt Angle tells GP that “John Cena WILL have a match at #WrestleMania” pic.twitter.com/XWHeRC40BZ

— Gorilla Position (@WWEGP) April 5, 2019

"Yeah, I was hoping it was going to be John but it didn't happen. I'm sure that he has another match in mind, but I wanted him to end my career just like when he started, I started his career. It was a good little storyline but, unfortunately, it's not going to work out. But I love John, and I know he will have a WrestleMania match. I'm not sure if they announced it yet, but I'm almost positive he's going to be there."

WWE has not announced a match involving Cena, but it is difficult to envision him not being part of WrestleMania since he has at least appeared at every WrestleMania since WrestleMania 19.

Angle is scheduled to face Baron Corbin, but it is possible Angle is playing coy in an effort to divert attention away from WWE's actual plan. One sensible option would see Angle quickly beat Corbin before having Cena come out to challenge him to one final match.

Failing that, it is difficult to see where Cena fits in since most other top stars already have a match on tap.

Cena could interrupt Elias' musical performance and wrestle him, but he already had a tussle with Elias at last year's WrestleMania, so there may not be much desire to see that happen.

Angle vs. Cena is the match most WWE fans seemingly want to see, and they are likely still holding out hope for it leading up to Sunday.

    

Jimmy Hart to Induct Honky Tonk Man into Hall of Fame

WWE announced Friday that "The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart will induct The Honky Tonk Man into the WWE Hall of Fame on Saturday night.

Hart was The Honky Tonk Man's manager during his WWE-record Intercontinental Championship reign of 454 days from 1987-1988.

Hart is a Hall of Famer in his own right, and he also managed The Hart Foundation, who are being inducted Saturday as well.

It was previously announced that Hulk Hogan will induct Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake into the Hall of Fame. Aside from Hogan, Hart and Dana Warrior's involvement with the Warrior Award, no other presenters have been announced for Saturday's ceremony.

The Honky Tonk Man referred to himself as the greatest Intercontinental champion of all time, and his induction has been a long time coming.

Due to the possibility of a musical performance and some interesting stories, as well as Hart's presence, The Honky Tonk Man has a good chance to steal the show at the Hall of Fame.

    

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

Elias has generally marched to the beat of his own drum since arriving on WWE's main roster, and The Drifter was certainly thinking outside of the box when he envisioned his ideal feud right now.

During an interview on SiriusXM's Busted Open, Elias said he'd love the chance to go against The Undertaker or John Cena. He went on to explain his character is somewhat atypical from the Raw roster and questioned whether any of the active stars "gets me at that level."

"On the main roster right now, I'm not sure there's anyone that gets me on that level."

In a world full of wrestlers, @IAmEliasWWE is a unique #WWE talent. He's not sure that perfect opponent is out there right now, but a few legends come to mind.#WrestleMania #RAW #SDLive pic.twitter.com/dRFYHre9VS

— SiriusXM Busted Open (@BustedOpenRadio) April 3, 2019

Some may read those comments as Elias putting himself in a class above his peers. Instead, he's referring more to the fact that WWE has largely moved on from the kind of outsized gimmicks that populated the company through the 1980s and 1990s.

In that sense, Elias stands out and is a nice change of pace, which is why he might have grown so popular with fans despite a largely forgettable run in NXT.

Unfortunately for Elias, his dream of a rivalry with The Undertaker or Cena is likely to remain just that. It's unclear when or if The Undertaker will ever wrestle again, while Cena's commitments outside of WWE preclude him from making any long-term commitments.