John Cena is primarily focused on his Hollywood career these days. Over the weekend, the trailer dropped for F9 , the latest installment in the blockbuster Fast and Furious franchise in which he plays Vin Diesel’s character’s brother. However, that doesn’t mean that the multi-time WWE Champion is done with wrestling by any means — in fact, he wants a match at this year’s WrestleMania , which will take place in his hometown of Tampa, Florida.
During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated , Cena revealed that he’ll be backstage at the event, but he hopes to be included on the card in some capacity, and he hopes that Vince McMahon will give him something to do.
“Performing at WrestleMania this year would be a gift. I haven’t been intertwined in the machine of the WWE. I know those WrestleMania spots are few and far between. I’ve expressed that I’m off. But I’ve also expressed that I live in Tampa. I will for sure be at the event and I have great trust in the process and I have great faith in Vince McMahon not only as a boss, but as so much more than that.”
EXCLUSIVE: @JohnCena explains why he fired up the “2004 way-back machine” for The Showcase of the Immortals. #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/ra1I70LXq2
— WWE (@WWE) April 8, 2019
The former champion also revealed that he’s even willing to appear in a small role, like he has on the last two occasions. Last year, he showed up to perform a rap in a segment with Elias. The previous year, he sat in the crowd drinking beer until The Undertaker appeared and squashed him.
However, while Cena seems open to anything the company has for him, the legendary superstar reportedly wants a significant role at the event. As documented by WrestleVotes back in December, this particular WrestleMania is important to the superstar, and he wants to do something meaningful at the show since it’s in his hometown.
If Cena wants a match at WrestleMania , it’s highly unlikely that McMahon will say no. He’s one of the biggest wrestlers in history, and these days he’s a Hollywood A-lister with major crossover appeal. This corresponds with the company’s desire to make the event a mainstream talking point.
Furthermore, the roster has no shortage of superstars for Cena to face. An outing against a younger performer could create a future star, which would be a wise move given his part-time status.
At the same time, Cena would be a welcome addition to the show regardless of who he faces, as he’s guaranteed to bring the big fight feel to the bout.
