John Cena Set For Time Off After WrestleMania 33?
The Face That Runs the Place is heading back to Hollywood.
According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, John Cena is expected to take time-off from WWE following WrestleMania 33.
The 16-time world champion isn't being advertised for any events following Mania, and will head back to Hollywood for an undetermined length of time.
Cena will likely be filming his latest movie, The Pact, while on hiatus. The film is currently scheduled for an April 20th, 2018 release.
This will be Cena's fourth notable break in just over a year. He missed two months following Hell In A Cell 2015, returned briefly, then underwent shoulder surgery in January 2016. A one-off WrestleMania 32 appearance preceded a full-time return in May, with Cena's most recent hiatus coming from October-December 2016.
Cena is currently expected to team with Nikki Bella against the husband/wife team of The Miz and Maryse in Orlando. The first seeds were planted when Maryse inadvertently became embroiled in a brawl between Bella and Natalya at Elimination Chamber.
Cena has been at the heart of SmackDown's programming since returning in December, and put on an early Match of the Year candidate with AJ Styles at the Royal Rumble. He lost the WWE Championship inside the Chamber, but his absence will leave a gaping hole in SD's main event scene.