Getty Images | Ronald Martinez

GIVEN THAT he’s now an A-list actor with blockbuster films coming out faster than a rat up a drain pipe, we assumed Cena had bigger fish to fry than giving out his trademark ‘attitude adjustments’. As it turns out, when you’re a hot commodity in Hollywood, you can still set aside time for your passion projects. Cena is going back to his roots as a pro-wrestler and has confirmed he’ll be returning to WWE on SmackDown next month.

Cena will make his WWE comeback on the September 1st edition of SmackDown in Pennsylvania. Then, the 16-time world champion will journey to the Indian subcontinent for the upcoming WWE Superstar Spectacle show in Hyderabad, which will be WWE’s first live event in India since 2017.

For the uninitiated few who had better things to do in their childhood than watching Cena pummel roided-up sweaty dudes in the ring, allow us to explain the hype surrounding the legend’s return. Cena is, quite simply, one of the greatest pro wrestlers of all time. The 46-year-old has gone by many monikers throughout his storied career, including ‘The Prototype’, ‘The Franchise’, ‘The Doctor of Thuganomics’, and ‘The Face that Runs the Place’. Cena made a name for himself in the ring, netting the most world championship reigns in WWE history.

While he’s never officially retired from wrestling, Cena has been something of a WWE part-timer since 2019. He’s teased a return for years, but has so far only made one-off appearances and surprise showings. Cena last stepped in the ring back in April of this year, when he challenged Austin Theory for the United States Championship. Despite an impressive performance for a man of his age, Cena’s return was ultimately unsuccessful, and he lost the fight. The WWE icon also surprised fans last month after making an impromptu appearance during another WWE event in London.

Cena has come a long way since his early wrestling days when he struggled to make ends meet while establishing himself in WWE. “My first contract with WWE was $12,000 a year,” Cena told Kevin Hart on his podcast. “I quit my job the day I was signed. I think my rent was $1,000 a month. So all my money is now rent.”

Cena is now worth around $80 Million USD as an accomplished athlete, actor and rapper—although details on his musical career are best left unsaid. Regardless of whether or not his WWE return is successful this time around, Cena has already solidified his place as an enduring icon of the industry, one that will be remembered long after he finally decides to hang up the ripped denim shorts for good.

Getty Images | John Sciulli

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