Cena is set to return to the ring for WWE Live and will make a series of non-televised RAW and Smackdown appearances during the holidays.
But, according to Ringside News, the publisher and editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Dave Meltzer claims The Champ may not be part of the Royal Rumble as he is scheduled to start shooting his next movie seven days before the event.
Meltzer said: “I mean he starts the movie January 20th so that pretty much takes him out of the Royal Rumble so if he’s not in the Royal Rumble then he has no ticket or direction for [WrestleMania].”
Cena has been recently hyping up the Transformers spinoff Bumblebee, in which he co-stars with Academy Award Nominee Hailee Steinfeld.
The Leader of the Cenation is soon expected to start shooting The Janson Directive which will be produced by fellow WWE legend Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
Until then the 16-time world champion will kick off his WWE Live tour tonight at Madison Square Garden in New York.
WWE announced a month ago: “Prepare for a sea of Cenation flags to be raised and waved in cities across the country next month when John Cena returns to WWE Live.
“Returning to the ring for the first time since WWE Super Show-Down in Australia, the 16-time World Champion gears up for action in a series of WWE Live Events, beginning next month.
“Before you can once again see him in the ring, check out the dates in the following cities for John Cena’s WWE Live Event appearances:
“Madison Square Garden, New York – Dec. 26, Nassau Coliseum, New York – Dec. 27, Royals Farms Arena, Baltimore — Dec. 28, PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh – Dec. 29, Amalie Arena, Tampa, Fla. – Dec. 30, Columbus Civic Center, Columbus, Ga. – Jan. 4, Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, Tallahassee, Fla. – Jan. 5, Hertz Arena, Ft. Myers, Fla. – Jan. 6, Amway Center, Orlando, Fla. – Jan. 7 (Raw), Charleston Civic Center, Charleston, W.Va. – Jan. 11, Knoxville Civic Coliseum, Knoxville, Tenn. – Jan. 12, Von Braun Civic Center, Huntsville, Ala. – Jan. 13, FedEx Forum, Memphis, Tenn. – Jan. 14.”
WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon also announced that Cena will make a few televised appearances on RAW and SmackDown.
The former World Heavyweight Champion’s only confirmed TV performances will take place next Tuesday for Smackdown and on January 7 for RAW.
WWE.com posted: “What better way to kick off the new year than with John Cena?
“One of “Mr. McMahon-ta Claus’s” gifts to the WWE Universe on the Christmas Eve edition of Raw was the return of the 16-time World Champion, to both the red and blue brands.
“Cena’s first appearance will come on the New Year’s Day edition of SmackDown LIVE.
“As Team Blue gets ready to kick off 2019, how will the presence of one of the greatest Superstars in WWE history effect things?
“Find out next Tuesday on SmackDown LIVE at 8/7 C on USA Network!”