The nature of John Cena’s much-teased Backlash announcement may have been revealed ahead of Saturday’s show.
According to WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select, the expectation within WWE circles is that Cena’s announcement is tied to Club WWE and its upcoming launch, with Cena serving as the face of the initiative, described as a huge boost for the product.
Cena posted a video from outside Benchmark International Arena in Tampa on Thursday, escalating his tease to its strongest language yet.
“WWE Universe, hey, John Cena here, standing in Thunder Alley, outside of Benchmark International Arena in Tampa Bay. In just a few days, I have a major announcement inside this building that is gonna shock the very foundation of WWE, from its fans to its superstars, from its champions down to its rookies. I’m so grateful that Tampa is allowing me a place to make this announcement. Thank you, WWE. See you live on ESPN in the States and Netflix around the world, but don’t miss Backlash. I’m so excited and I’ll see you there,” Cena said.
Cena first teased an epic plan for Backlash in an April 23 social media post. The Benchmark International Arena website advertised him for the show on May 3, and he officially confirmed his attendance the following day. Bodyslam previously reported that WWE and Cena had agreed to the appearance weeks before his public announcement, with his Tampa-area residency making the booking logistically straightforward.
The full Backlash card for Saturday, May 9 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, streaming on ESPN and Netflix, is as follows:
- World Heavyweight Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jacob Fatu
- IYO SKY vs. Asuka
- Danhausen and mystery partner vs. The Miz and Kit Wilson
- John Cena history-making announcement
- Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker (ESPN 2)
- United States Championship: Trick Williams (c) vs. Sami Zayn (ESPN 2)
