John Cena Confirms WWE Return, Talks Possible Heel Turn

John Cena sat down with Chris Van Vliet this week to promote the upcoming release of F9 and discussed the big rumor about his impending return to the WWE. Reports of Cena being back in time to main event SummerSlam with Roman Reigns have been spreading for weeks, and while Cena didn’t confirm the match was happening he did definitively say he would be back in a WWE ring soon. The 16-time former world champion said, when asked about his iconic jorts, “I can tell you this, I very much look forward to wearing jorts again. It’s been too long.”

Van Vliet followed up by saying it’s not a matter of “if” but “when” he’d be back in WWE, prompting Cena to say, “You’re absolutely correct.” Cena brought up his rumored SummerSlam opponent Reigns a number of times in the interview, going so far as to say having Roman as the current centerpiece of WWE might free him up to make that long-awaited heel turn fans begged to see for years.

“I think this is the beginning to showcase the fact that it’s possible. Now as WWE invests and builds its roster, it has a wealth of talent and truly has many anchors to the ship now. Certainly [with] Roman being a very, very marketable and definitive star. I think the reason for me not to explore that side is because WWE didn’t feel confident they had any alternative [top star in the company].And I respect that business choice, I really do. But now with them really laying their foundation for the future, even for life in the next decade or so, maybe… maybe. I don’t know.”

Cena has repeatedly spoken highly of the “Tribal Chief” in recent interviews. The two clashed in a singles match at No Mercy back in 2017, which Reigns won.

“Roman is walking in his own steps, he follows in no one’s footsteps,” Cena told Bleacher Report back in April. “This happens every time a marquee attraction has moved on. I went through it, everybody said it with Steve [Austin] and The Rock and I understand that. But Roman is crafting his own path, and I think it’s very important to say that he’s doing a great job. I feel this is the best he’s ever been and that comes with comfort. I don’t know what got him over that hill, but he’s over it and that’s a very important one to jump over.”