WWE News: Main Event Star Not Being Advertised For ‘Elimination Chamber’: Final ‘SmackDown’ PPV Before ‘WrestleMania 33’
Last night on Monday Night Raw, WWE officially announced the return of the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view (PPV), which will take place in February. It is the final PPV for SmackDown LIVE before WrestleMania 33 in early April, and it is going to lock a number of superstars in pods and then let them battle it out in a huge cage. There is one main event star that isn’t being advertised for the show, though, and many are wondering if he will show up at all.
The return of the demonic structure could end up determining who will go to WrestleMania 33 as the WWE World Champion from SmackDown LIVE. At least six superstars will be locked in the pods and competing for the belt, but as of now, John Cena won’t be one of them.
John Cena hasn’t been seen since around the time of No Mercy back in early October as he’s been off filming the second season of American Grit. As reported by the official website of WWE, he is also scheduled to host Saturday Night Live on Dec. 10, 2016.
Closing out 2016 with three great shows! #SNL pic.twitter.com/V1aDa9EHxU
— Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) December 2, 2016
Cena is currently scheduled to return to WWE action at a house show event in Madison Square Garden on the day after Christmas. One India is reporting that MSG is promoting a Triple Threat Match for the WWE World Championship between Cena, Dean Ambrose, and champion AJ Styles.
According to the WWE Live Events page, Cena is advertised for each episode of SmackDown LIVE in January and the Royal Rumble as well. After that, he is listed for an event on Feb. 25 in Illinois, but his name and photo are noticeably absent from the official page for the Elimination Chamber PPV.
The official website for the Talking Stick Resort Arena, where the Elimination Chamber will be held, also has John Cena’s name missing. The arena has a description of the event and a list of names possibly appearing, but not the former champ.
“This will be your chance to see some of your favorite WWE Smackdown Superstars battle inside ten tons of unforgiving steel! See: Randy Orton, AJ Styles, Dean Ambrose, Bray Wyatt, The USO’s, Becky Lynch, The Miz, Dolph Ziggler, Natalya, Nikki Bella, and many more of your favorite Superstars.”
On WWE’s main page, they list those superstars as appearing at Elimination Chamber along with new SmackDown LIVE Women’s champion Alexa Bliss. As always, this list of talent scheduled to appear is always subject to change, but it’s just so strange that Cena isn’t on there.
As of this writing, Cena is not scheduled by WWE to appear at the Elimination Chamber, but there are still two months until the event even takes place. No matches are confirmed and in place as Roadblock (Monday Night Raw) and the Royal Rumble will take place before that PPV does.
After the chamber is out of the way, the final PPV before WrestleMania 33 will take place in early March, and it is the Monday Night Raw-exclusive PPV called Fastlane. It would do WWE well to have Cena appear at the Elimination Chamber and set up or continue a feud build-up for the biggest event of them all.
John Cena has truly become the face of WWE, and much like The Rock, he has a lot of other commitments going on. Still, he’s a main event talent and one that is an integral part of SmackDown LIVE. If he doesn’t show up or take part in the Elimination Chamber, it will be interesting to see how the company builds up a feud for him at WrestleMania 33. Sure, it’s possible, but having him in the chamber would make things a bit easier.
[Featured Image by WWE]
