Why Did John Cena Back Out of Facing Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel 2023?

The season premiere of SmackDown, which took place on the October 13 episode of the blue brand, saw the return of Roman Reigns. The Head of the Table had a brief interaction with John Cena as the two shared the ring. But instead of challenging Reigns, Cena stepped aside.

He even said that he didn’t earn the right to call out Reigns for a match. But why did John Cena, a holder of a record 16 world titles, make such a bizarre statement?

Is John Cena scared of Roman Reigns?

It is unlikely that the greatest of all time in WWE is scared of The Tribal Chief. Cena, admittedly, is only scared of Brock Lesnar. Apart from that, he hasn’t named any other wrestlers who scare him. So then why did Cena step aside? He wanted to promote LA Knight.

Right after he made the statement, Cena also said there’s someone else who has earned the right to go toe-to-toe with the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. As soon as he said it, the speakers blared LA Knight’s entrance music and the 40-year-old walked in.

Cena also handed the mic to Knight as a symbolic gesture of passing the torch. Over the years, John Cena has acquired fame as a potent promo cutter and is regarded as one of the best. So the 46-year-old passing the microphone to Knight was a big moment for the latter’s fans.

Knight also didn’t disappoint, as Reigns was visibly impressed with the former’s mic skills. While the LA Knight angle is justified in kayfabe, the real reason could be Cena’s commitment to films. Even though he carried WWE for close to a decade, his current status is that of a guest performer.

Much like his peers Dwayne Johnson and Dave Bautista, John Cena has found success in movies and has cemented his place as a credible actor in Hollywood. So, with the strikes nearing an end, it is likely that Cena will soon leave for his other career. Keeping that in mind, a feud with Reigns made no sense. 

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Cena, however, will have another opportunity to enthrall the WWE Universe, as he has been advertised for Crown Jewel.

Who will John Cena face in Saudi Arabia?

As stated above, John Cena is not facing Roman Reigns, as LA Knight is likely to take that slot. But he could face a member of The Bloodline.

Cena’s probable opponent is Solo Sikoa- The Enforcer of the Anoa’i stable. Sikoa and his brother Jimmy Uso have been a thorn in Cena’s side for a few weeks now. The duo has constantly attacked him, which eventually resulted in a tag team match at Fastlane.

While Cena and Knight won that match, Sikoa could attack the icon again to exact revenge. A match between the two is also likely as per rumors. Cena has been busy putting talents over and is likely to do so with Sikoa- who is poised to win a mid-card title in the near future.

So, do you agree with the reasons we’ve listed? Share your views in the comments.

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