John Cena may not completely miss WrestleMania 32 after all.
The "Cenation" leader has taken part in 12 straight editions of the "Show of Shows," but it was expected his surgically-repaired shoulder would keep him out of this year's festivities.
As it turns out, Cena is almost ready for a return to the ring and has either already been cleared or is on the verge of getting the go-ahead to return, according to PWInsider. With the 15-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion this close to a return, it's possible he'll make his presence felt in Dallas.
Here are some potential roles for the "Cenation" leader.
1) Heel Turn
In a recent Twitter Q&A, Cena was asked about possibly turning heel for the first time since the early days of his career, and he responded, "Never say never." If Cena were to turn heel on the grandest stage of them all, it would be one of the most shocking moments in WWE history.
There are multiple ways this could be accomplished.
Cena could align himself with Vince McMahon a la "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at WrestleMania X-7 by keeping Shane McMahon from winning his match with Undertaker and controlling "RAW." Cena could take out Dean Ambrose, making "The Lunatic Fringe" a top babyface heading into a feud with a heel "Cenation" leader.
Perhaps most attractively, Cena could actually have 80,000-plus fans cheer him for the first time in over a decade by screwing Roman Reigns out of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
2) McMahon Mania
Cena has always been at odds with The Authority, so he could once again be a thorn in their side while simultaneously sparking a feud with The Undertaker. Shane-O Mac will need a lot of help if he's to conceivably defeat The Undertaker at WrestleMania 32 and seize control of "RAW."
The "Cenation" leader could get involved and help McMahon defeat 'Taker inside Hell in a Cell, and though it would end 'Taker's ability to compete at the "Show of Shows" in the future, the WWE could easily find a loophole to avoid the storyline.
Cena was "The Deadman's" rumored opponent for WrestleMania, but due to his injury it was changed. They could easily meet at SummerSlam in Brooklyn if this were to happen.
3) Battle Royal
The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal is usually fun, but ultimately, it's filler. There are still four slots open, which means just like the Royal Rumble, there could be plenty of surprise entrants in store. The bout may get moved from the pre-show to the main show, and Cena could make it a more legitimate match by surprisingly returning to win it all.
4) Reigns Supreme
If the WWE pulls the trigger on giving Reigns the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, it could please its younger audience, but would also alienate its older, more boisterous fan base. The company could turn Reigns heel to end the show, having him align himself with Vince McMahon.
This would give some adult fans what they want, while Cena could come out to take out Reigns to also make the younger audience happy instead of ending the show on a negative tone set by the heel turn of the leader of the Roman Empire.
