Andrew Ravens
John Cena is returning to WWE in a new capacity. The 17-time WWE Champion has officially announced that he will serve as the host of WrestleMania 42, ending speculation about what his post-retirement involvement with the company would look like. Cena made the announcement on social media, writing: “Since retirement, my road has looked a little different but now I can officially say I’m headed to WrestleMania. See you in Las Vegas!”
The announcement follows comments Cena made at MegaCon in Orlando earlier this month, where he hinted that he may have found a new way to contribute to WWE following his retirement. Those remarks generated discussion about what form his return might take, and the hosting role now provides a clear answer for the immediate future.
Cena retired from WWE last December after losing to Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event, capping a farewell tour that took him around the world for one final run with the company. His retirement came months after one of the defining moments of his career, when he defeated Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41 to capture a record 17th WWE Championship.
WrestleMania 42 takes place at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 18 and 19, marking the second consecutive year the event has been held at the venue. The current card features some of the most high-profile matches WWE has put together in recent memory. CM Punk defends the World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns, while Cody Rhodes puts the Undisputed WWE Championship on the line against Randy Orton.
Stephanie Vaquer defends the Women’s World Championship against Liv Morgan, and Jade Cargill puts the WWE Women’s Championship up against Rhea Ripley. AJ Lee defends the Women’s Intercontinental Championship against Becky Lynch, and Sami Zayn puts the United States Championship on the line against Trick Williams. Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi and Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre round out the announced matches.
