WWE News: John Cena Refutes Rumors That He’s Been At Odds With WWE Management

The internet and wrestling community has been buzzing since John Cena made his much-anticipated return to the WWE Tuesday night. Cena kicked off 2016’s final episode of SmackDown Live with a memorable promo on a night that also included three championship matches.

The show began with John Cena claiming ownership of the number one contenders slot to whomever emerged victorious in the evening’s triple threat main event for the WWE Championship. And it ended with the promise that Cena would be facing AJ Styles for that title at next month’s Royal Rumble. Styles retained his title over Baron Corbin and Dolph Ziggler in fitting fashion, and in what will be the WWE’s final televised match of the year.

It’s certainly noteworthy that John Cena and AJ Styles will compete for the WWE Championship on a pay-per-view card that already boasts Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens for the Universal Championship and Goldberg and Brock Lesnar competing in the Royal Rumble match. But it was Cena’s fiery promo to open SmackDown Live and his follow-up segment on Talking Smack that has the world talking.

John had been away from the WWE since failing to capture the WWE Championship in a triple threat match with Styles and Dean Ambrose at No Mercy in October. Cena was off filming the second season of the FOX reality competition series, American Grit, as well as making a special appearance hosting an episode of Saturday Night Live. So to return and stake a claim to the title in his first night back may have seemed presumptuous to his detractors.

Cena made it clear that he did not care what his critics thought, brushing aside the notion of a “new era” for the “my time is now era.” He also let it be known that he was tired of the “crap” during his opening monologue, a sentiment he’d reiterate and elaborate on during his few minutes on Talking Smack.

As Wrestling Inc highlighted, John Cena said that he regrets some of the promos he directed at The Rock when the two were engaged in their memorable feud that spanned back-to-back WrestleManias in 2012 and 2013. Cena said he considers what he said some of the “stupidest stuff ever” and that he was looking at it through “very blinded eyes.” He pointed out that the current crop of WWE superstars now look at him the same way he did The Rock back then.

But it’s also important to mention that Cena wanted to set the record straight as it pertained to him and the rumor mill. Last month, several outlets, including ours, reported that there was some friendly tension between WWE officials and John Cena. It stemmed from Cena’s frustrations over part-time talent like Brock Lesnar and Goldberg being brought in with big-time paydays and John feeling taken advantage of.

It had reportedly gotten to the point where Vince McMahon was instructing his creative team to come up with backup plans for the Undertaker at WrestleMania 33 in the event Cena’s frustrations boiled over. The plan for some time, of course, has been to book the Undertaker and John Cena in a mega-match for the event in Orlando next April. In fact, Vince has clamored for a ‘Taker-Cena showdown on the grandest stage for nearly four years.

The stars finally seemed to align for the two legends to face off, but these rumors provided a bump in the road. However, Cena made it clear on Tuesday night’s Talking Smack that he was sick of hearing that “crap” and things with Vince and WWE management were fine.

It had been reported that some WWE officials were upset that John was accepting so many offers outside the WWE. But like Cena said about The Rock, expanding the WWE’s reach outside of just wrestling can only be good for the company. The Rock became Hollywood’s highest-paid actor in 2016, and though Cena isn’t quite on that level yet, he’s clearly (and ironically) trying to follow in his footsteps. But he’s also making sure the WWE reaps the benefits.

[Featured Image by WWE]