For the second straight premium live event, WWE fans will see John Cena, this time with the 17-time world champion promising to deliver massive news at Backlash on May 9. According to Cena, the development will not only change the WWE experience for viewers, but talent as well.
“WWE Universe, hey, John Cena here, standing in Thunder Alley outside of Benchmark International Arena in Tampa Bay,” Cena said in a video hyping his upcoming appearance. “In just a few days, I have a major announcement inside this building that is going to shock the very foundation of WWE, from its fans to its Superstars, to its champions, down to its rookies. I’m so grateful Tampa is allowing me a place to make this announcement. Thank you, WWE. See it live on ESPN in the States and Netflix around the world, but don’t miss Backlash. I’m so excited. I’ll see you there.”
Only a couple of days until #WWEBacklash!!! pic.twitter.com/FN7GhbcrSU
— John Cena (@JohnCena) May 7, 2026
Two days out from Backlash, the exact contents of Cena’s announcement are unclear, though based on his teases, it seems likely to have widespread effects in WWE. At WrestleMania 42, Cena shared other news: the attendance numbers for night one and night two of the PLE. Amidst the surprise return of former WWE Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, he also shared a heartfelt moment when she revealed her pregnancy. Last December, Cena retired from in-ring competition by tapping out to GUNTHER at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
As it stands, Backlash boasts a five-match card, one of which will pit Bron Breakker against his former Vision leader Seth Rollins. Elsewhere, Roman Reigns will defend his newly-won WWE World Heavyweight Championship against his cousin Jacob Fatu.
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