Huge Spoiler On John Cena's WWE Return Next Week?!

Major new details on when we can expect the WWE return of Big Match John.

Jul 14, 2021 July 14th, 2021

With plentiful speculation of John Cena imminently returning to WWE - potentially in time for next month's SummerSlam - there's now a huge update on the return of Big Match John.

As per Fightful Select, the current plan is for Cena to return on the 23 July episode of SmackDown. As in, yes, as soon as next week's episode of the company's blue brand action.

From there, the 16-time World Champion will find himself on a collision course with Universal Champion Roman Reigns, with the two set to do battle at this year's SummerSlam PPV.

Cena hasn't competed in a WWE ring since his Firefly Fun House bout against Bray Wyatt back at WrestleMania 36, although he was featured earlier this year in WWE's promotional video confirming the locations of WrestleManias 37, 38 and 39.

Of course, the Doctor of Thuganomics has been ridiculously busy away from the squared circle in these past few years; starring in Fast & Furious 9, soon to be seen in James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, having just wrapped on HBO Max's Peacemaker series, and last week announced as having landed a role in Matthew Vaughn's all-star Argylle.

Emanating from Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium, SummerSlam 2021 takes place on 21 August.

Andrew Pollard

Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main dayjob, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg.

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