John Cena makes WWE return amid Hollywood strikes
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Kids love John Cena and adults love to hate him. Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
You can see John Cena — for the first time in a long time, and possibly for the final time in Indianapolis.
Driving the news: Cena is returning to his pro wrestling roots for a match at WWE's Fastlane show Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
- Cena is teaming with rising star LA Knight against Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso, members of the Bloodline faction led by Roman Reigns.
Why it matters: Now that Cena is one of Hollywood's top-grossing stars, the 16-time world champion rarely appears in a wrestling ring.
By the numbers: Cena has wrestled just six matches on television and pay-per-view shows since 2019, per Cagematch, a wrestling database.
Between the lines: Cena's Indianapolis date is a fluke borne of the Hollywood writers and actors strikes, which shut down film production and left Cena with time to make a surprising WWE return.
- The Writers Guild of America recently reached a new contract agreement, but the actors strike continues, putting an indefinite timeline on Cena's wrestling run.
💠James' thought bubble: As an adult wrestling nerd, I've never been a big Cena fan.
- His neon merch, his silly "you can't see me" catchphrase and his overwrought good-guy vibes appeal mostly to children, while his nauseating loyalty to WWE, wrestling's most sanitized corporate brand, makes him decidedly uncool.
- But he's one of the hardest workers in entertainment and his decade-long switch to acting has made it easier to appreciate his status as (maybe) the greatest wrestler of all time.
Meanwhile, there are other fun-looking matches at Fastlane, including:
- Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura in a last-man-standing match for the world heavyweight championship.
- IYO SKY, Asuka and Charlotte Flair face off in a three-way match for the women's championship.
Of note: Wrestling is scripted and the winners are predetermined.
Yes, but: It also provides some of the greatest artistic live performances you'll ever see.
Details: Tickets for Fastlane are still available.
- It starts at 7:30pm and airs on Peacock at 8pm.
The bottom line: Indianapolis is getting one of the most notable wrestling shows of the year featuring one of the world's biggest stars.