Update: The WWE revealed in a tweet that John Cena underwent successful shoulder surgery on Thursday, so unless it's a very elaborate hoax, it looks like the "Cenation" leader will be out and miss WrestleMania.

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John Cena shocked the world when he returned from injury in 2008 and won the Royal Rumble Match as the No. 30 entrant. History could be ready to repeat itself.

Cena suffered a torn pectoral in October 2007 and was expected to be sidelined until after WrestleMania. He returned that fateful night at Madison Square Garden in January 2008 and won the Rumble Match, eventually headlining WrestleMania XXIV.

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Earlier this week, Cena revealed on Twitter that he is dealing with a shoulder injury and would need surgery. The WWE then confirmed the news in an Instagram post as rumors circulated that Cena was repairing a torn labrum.

The injury could be legitimate, but with this being the WWE, it's never really certain.

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The "Cenation" leader was expected to undergo surgery in Birmingham, Ala. on Thursday morning, according to Wrestlingheadlines.com, however his girlfriend Nikki Bella posted a selfie with him on Instagram that very same day.

The longest-reigning Divas Champion in WWE history posted the picture of the two smiling in New York after she appeared on "Good Morning America." Cena could have easily postponed the surgery or had it planned for a different day, but he's usually very active on social media and keeps fans apprised of his injury updates and always opts to get surgery right away so he can return quickly.

It's possible the WWE could be harkening back to 2008 and planning on pulling a surprise return for the face of the franchise at the Royal Rumble on Jan. 24 at the Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. Cena, after all, is chasing Ric Flair's record of 16 World Championships and will tie the "Nature Boy" the next time he hoists the prestigious prize.

If Cena won the Rumble Match, which for the first time since 1992 and the second time in history is for the WWE Championship, he would also tie "Stone Cold" Steve Austin for the most wins in that bout with three.

The saying is anything can happen in the WWE, and that includes massive swerves to keep the modern day audience in check.

Do you believe John Cena's injury is legitimate?

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