WWE have announced the 16-time champion will not compete at Chase Field and therefore he won’t be headlining WrestleMania.
Cena was originally scheduled for the Rumble match where the winner goes on to headline the event at MetLife Stadium on April 7.
A statement on the WWE website read: “As first revealed on WWE Now this afternoon, John Cena will not compete in the Men’s Royal Rumble Match tonight due to his ankle injury.
“Cena first sustained the left ankle injury during the main event of the Jan. 14 episode of Raw.
“In that match, the 16-time World Champion faced Finn Balor, Baron Corbin and Drew McIntyre for the right to challenge Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship at the WWE Royal Rumble event.
“As seen in the video below, the injury occurred when McIntyre trapped Cena in the ankle lock submission hold.
“Cena then appears to favor his left ankle while leaving the ring after Raw went off the air.
“The Cenation Leader was unable to sufficiently recover in time for tonight’s 30-Man Royal Rumble Match, and has been ruled out of the bout as a result.”
But several reports have claimed Cena is not injured and in fact won’t be competing due to a conflict with his Hollywood schedule.
The leader of the Cenation is currently filming in Vancouver and there were different plans to see him written off WWE TV.
NXT wrestler Lars Sullivan was scheduled to debut and take out Cena leading to a possible match between the two at WrestleMania.
Sullivan has yet to debut though after suffering an apparent anxiety attack backstage at RAW.
On his want to enter the Rumble Cena said: “Everybody knows that on the road to WrestleMania there is one match that any superstar can grab that golden ticket.
“The golden ticket to a main-event championship match at the Grand Daddy of Them All WrestleMania.
“And that is the Royal Rumble. In life nothing is given away, nothing is handed to you.
“You work hard and you earn every inch. And I plan on earning my golden ticket.
“Right now I am officially entering myself in this year’s Royal Rumble Match.”