Tag: John Cena

John Cena’s role in ‘Barbie’ is both unexpected and awesome

Cena’s character is also the love interest to the character played by Dua Lipa.

Never let it be said that John Cena doesn’t have a sense of fun and humor about himself. Or that his acting range doesn’t include … mythical sea creatures?

As WWE fans know, Cena has been busy with his Hollywood career as of late, with roles both big and small. His role in the upcoming “Barbie” movie appears to be the latter, but it was also a secret — until today.

A new sneak peek of “Barbie” was unveiled to attendees at CinemaCon in Las Vegas during the Warner Bros. presentation, one that showed off Cena for the first time. According to ComicBook.com, Cena is playing a version of Ken, just not one you’d probably expect.

ComicBook.com was in attendance at CinemaCon when the footage was shared and in it was included some new looks at Barbie’s world and its occupants, including a mermaid-type Ken played by Cena.

The outlet added that Cena was previously said to be playing the love interest of pop music star Dua Lipa, and since she’s playing a Mermaid Barbie, this strangely all makes perfect sense.

Despite it’s subject matter, there’s a great deal of serious interest in “Barbie” as it was co-written and directed by multiple time Academy Award nominee Greta Gerwig. It also boasts a stacked cast that includes Margot Robbie as Barbie, Ryan Gosling as Ken, as well as Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Scott Evans, Ncuti Gatwa and Helen Mirren.

While Barbie is due in theaters July 21, Cena can be seen (really) and heard in a number of other projects due this year. He reprises his role as Jakob Toretto for “Fast X” in May and supplies the voice of Rocksteady for the the animated “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” film that releases in August.

See what we mean? Master thief to merman to mutant rhino. Crazy range!

Geno Smith on Angel Reese taunting Caitlin Clark: ‘The fake outcry is ridiculous’

If only the story was the actual game itself and not the awful officiating or the exhausting culture war nonsense that followed.

It was the first weekend of the new season in Major League Baseball, plus there was Wrestlemania and a host of college football spring games, but the big story coming out of Sunday was the women’s college basketball national championship. If only the story was the actual game itself and not the awful officiating or the exhausting culture war nonsense that followed.

In case you were lucky enough to miss the discourse on Twitter, at the end of their win LSU star Angel Reese taunted Iowa’s Caitlin Clark ala John Cena.

Even though Clark did the exact same thing one week ago, alot of people jumped up and cried CLASSLESS in one loud, hive-minded voice.

Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith joined the fray and hit the nail on the head, calling the fake outcry ridiculous.

Smith shared several other tweets on the subject, dunking on a paid blue checkmark along the way.

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WrestleMania 39 results: Austin Theory cheats, beats his one-time idol John Cena

Find out who won when John Cena challenged Austin Theory for the WWE United States Championship at WrestleMania 39.

After The Miz and Snoop Doff warmed up the crowd at SoFi Stadium, Austin Theory became the first WWE superstar to make the (very) long walk down the ramp at WrestleMania 39. Before he was joined by his opponent, a number of kids helped by the Make-A-Wish program gathered on the stage, as a salute to John Cena — with artwork picturing him from different stages of his career flashing on the screens beside the set.

Both men were cautious in the early going, with Theory grabbing a side headlock but tasting the canvas first courtesy of a shoulder tackle. Cena’s headlock was better, taking Theory to the mat until the U.S. champ could power his way up. Another shoulder tackle put Theory back down again.

Theory got the first near fall, looking confident as he followed quickly with another. The fans at SoFi Stadium let Theory hear it, then turned to cheers as Cena reversed a suplex into one of his own. A back elbow for Theory set up a flipping blockbuster that earned the champ another near fall.

The fans unsurprisingly remained displeased with Theory’s posing, and even more so with his dropkick for another two count. His second attempt at a rolling blockbuster missed, giving Cena an opening to try for the STF. Theory managed to avoid the hold by biting Cena’s fingers, which the announcers sold as getting extra leeway given the stage.

Theory went for a cocky cover before stomping Cena on the mat. Cena finally caught his boot and tried for an Attitude Adjustment, which Theory reversed into a DDT. He battered Cena in a corner and took a bit of a victory lap, but his corner charge missed and led to an exchange which led to Theory applying a sleeper.

Cena began to fade in the hold, but was able to power to his feet and back Theory into the turnbuckles. A flurry of offense led to the Five Knuckle Shuffle, but his AA attempt led to a ref bump. Theory tapped out, but with no ref to see it.

A low blow allowed Theory to set up for A-Town Down, enabling him to get the three count.

WrestleMania 39 results, night 1: KO, Sami climb the mountain, Rhea Ripley gets her moment

Full WWE WrestleMania 39 results from Los Angeles, including John Cena vs. Austin Theory, and Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn vs. The Usos.

The wait is over. WrestleMania 39 is ready to descend on SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, and it promises to be not just the biggest WWE event of 2023, but truly one of its biggest of all time.

As with the past few years, WrestleMania will once again be spread over two nights, which means a pair of main events. The intrigue on night 1 is which match will occupy that coveted spot. John Cena vs. Austin Theory has been announced as the headliner, but will kick off the show instead of going on last.

That’s led many to look toward the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship bout between titleholder Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley as the potential closer. The much anticipated Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship match featuring Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn trying to topple The Usos is another real possibility.

Even the non-title matches on night 1 have some real emotional resonance. Seth Rollins has made it clear how much he dislikes Logan Paul — and many members of the WWE Universe seem to agree — but the Maverick has been able to one-up him several times to date. And the most personal of grudge matches will see father battle son as newly minted WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio looks to “take care of business” against Dominik Mysterio.

There’s also a six-woman tag team match packed with both enmity and star power with Becky Lynch, Lita and Trish Stratus on one side and Damage CTRL on the other. It’s a potential show stealer to be sure.

The action all begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. local time in Los Angeles on Saturday night. If you’re not able to tune in on Peacock in the U.S. or WWE Network internationally, think of this post as your hub for the evening, as we’ll post links to results posts for each match as they become final.

WrestleMania 39 night 1 results

(click on any match for full details)

WrestleMania night 1 card: Every match set for April 1

We know John Cena vs. Austin Theory will kick off WrestleMania night 1, but which match will close it?

WrestleMania 39 is almost upon us — the first half of it, anyway.

WrestleMania night 1 on Saturday, April 1 will be headlined by a battle of legend vs. rising star, as John Cena takes on Austin Theory for the WWE United States Championship. However, that match will kick off the show, so the main event on the first night is still a bit of a question mark.

A leading candidate to close Saturday night is the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship match between Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley. Another possibility is one of the emotional highlights of the entire two-day event, with Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens reuniting to try to end the record-setting run of Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos.

It’s possible that night 1 could run longer than night 2, with seven matches compared to six, though there are several bouts slated for Sunday that could be lengthy. Here’s a look at the entire WrestleMania night 1 card, and if you’re looking for what we think will happen, please check out our full WrestleMania predictions for both nights.

WrestleMania 39 night 1 matches

Ranking all 41 WrestleMania main events, from worst to best

38 WrestleManias. 41 main events. Here’s how they rank, from Yokozuna and Sycho Sid to stone cold classics.

The biggest event in professional wrestling — sorry, sports entertainment — is nearly upon us. It’s WrestleMania week.

The landmark marvel of storytelling, violence and athleticism is the standard bearer of the squared circle. Everyone knows about WrestleMania, even if they don’t care about pro wrestling. And as such, the pressure is on the WWE each spring to create a memorable event that can sustain the brand’s success for the year to come.

Sometimes this works out better than others. This showcase has been the backdrop of several indelible moments woven into the fabric of wrestling. It has also served to prop up uncompelling storylines and stars who shined in longtime company head Vince McMahon’s eyes but not in the hearts of fans in the stands.

Let’s talk about those headliners and whether or not they lived up to the pressure of closing out WrestleMania. There have been 41 headlining matches across 38 WrestleManias to date — including the six from the last three years, where the WWE wisely opted to spread the card over two nights. This is my crude attempt to rank all 41 from worst to best, hopefully overcoming my own recency bias in the process.

Additionally, please excuse the somewhat bizarre choice of section images. It turns out USA Today Sports doesn’t have an extensive archive of pre-2020s wrestling photos.

John Cena had an excellent reaction to Caitlin Clark using his signature wrestling taunt

Looks like everyone actually can see Clark.

Caitlin Clark is used to making headlines.

The potential National Player of the Year is one of the best players in college basketball history. But after dropping a 41-point triple-double to take Iowa women’s basketball to its first-ever Final Four, Clark drew attention from someone a little more … outside the ropes, if you will.

When Clark performed legendary WWE wrestler John Cena’s signature taunt, “you can’t see me,” during her Elite Eight performance vs. Louisville, the college basketball world went wild.

It also eventually saw Cena himself drawn to Clark’s move. He had a rather appropriate reaction to the player everyone could see but still couldn’t defend.

That’s right, Mr. Cena.

One might say that everyone can see Clark, and, you guessed it: her time is now.

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WrestleMania 39: Start time, matches, predictions, how to watch

WrestleMania 39 is less than a week away, and we get you set to watch all of the action in Los Angeles.

For pro wrestling fans, there’s no better time of year than WrestleMania. Even people who wouldn’t call WWE their favorite variety of the art form get excited for the company’s biggest show of the year, descending on whatever city is hosting.

In this case of WrestleMania 39, it’s Los Angeles, where SoFi Stadium will play host to two nights of the best WWE has to offer. Historically, that’s often meant a number of older stars who may only wrestle once or twice a year.

Not so much this time, where with the exception of John Cena (and yes, including him in that category makes you wonder where time has gone) and a couple of all-time women’s division greats, the focus is very much on the talent and stories WWE has around on a regular basis.

The headlining attraction will see Cody Rhodes attempt to knock Roman Reigns off his perch atop WWE. The emotional high point of the event may come when Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens take on The Usos for their tag team titles in the culmination of one of wrestling’s grandest longform narratives. And there are plenty of other title bouts and matches with compelling hooks up and down the card.

Will that be enough to make it feel special if WWE plays it pretty straightforward throughout? The guess is that the answer will be yes, as the venue and crowd will ensure the event feels larger than life. Here’s a rundown on everything you need to know as WrestleMania Goes Hollywood.

WWE WrestleMania 39

  • Date: April 1-2, 2023
  • Location: SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
  • Start time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT both nights
  • How to watch: On Peacock in the U.S., and on WWE Network in the rest of the world
  • Matches announced: 13

Additional WrestleMania 39 resources

Please scroll down for a look at each match, including our predictions.

WrestleMania 39 guide for lapsed WWE fans: Everything you need to know for WrestleMania Goes Hollywood

Been away from WWE for a while? We get you ready for WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles in just a few minutes.

If you don’t watch WWE regularly but are going to check out one event a year, WrestleMania is it. Not only is it the culmination of everything the company does for one whole trip around the sun, it’s also a spectacle the likes of which no other pro wrestling event can match.

We’re talking sold out crowds in huge stadiums, which is the case again this year. WrestleMania 39, also known as WrestleMania Goes Hollywood, will take place April 1-2 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. It will once again be a huge deal, likely setting multiple WWE records for revenue and ticket sales, though probably not attendance.

There’s always the chance for extra attention for the wider world of entertainment at WrestleMania as well, though the talent involved in this year’s show is almost all from the roster of men and women who perform on WWE TV every week. One notable exception comes to mind, and we’ll get to him in a bit.

So if you haven’t watched WWE in a while, or even years, no worries. We’re going to get you up to speed with a quick summary of everything you need to know to watch on Peacock (or WWE Network if you’re outside the U.S.) without feeling lost.

Scroll on down and we’ll do this FAQ style.

Stone Cold says match with John Cena would have been ‘special’ but will never happen

But Steve Austin also suggested John Cena was never a name discussed with him by WWE.

WWE has a way of making some huge fantasy matchups across eras become a reality. The Rock faced Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania X8. John Cena battled The Rock at WrestleMania XXVIII, then again the next year (even though the prior meeting was billed as “Once in a Lifetime.”

More recently, Stone Cold Steve Austin made his return after 19 years away and fought Kevin Owens in a No Holds Barred match at WrestleMania 38. It was a terrific, “turn back the clock” type performance for Austin, and the fans ate it up.

But you know what would have been even more amazing? Austin vs. Cena.

Stone Cold himself weighed in on that hypothetical meeting between two of WWE’s all-time greats as the guest on Out of Character with Ryan Satin (h/t Fightful). While expressing his admiration for all that Cena has done and acknowledging how huge a match between them would have been, he also shot down the idea of it ever happening.

“Working with him would have been a real highlight, and I’ve had a bunch of highlights,” Austin said. “It would have been a real special thing. There is something about John. People are so invested in his matches. He’s a very special talent. It would have been great to have a match with him. Will it ever happen? No.”

Why is he so certain? Austin explained that at this point in his career, everything has to fall just right for matches to happen. Cena’s busy Hollywood schedule is likely the sticking point — the same way The Rock’s acting and business dealings prevented a much rumored match between him and Roman Reigns from ever coming together.

Multiple outlets have reported that WWE pitched Austin several ideas for matches over the past year, but he recently claimed the company never specifically talked WrestleMania 39. He seemed to admit as much to Satin but denied that Cena was ever among the list of possible opponents.

“No, not really,” Austin said. “Names have always been tossed around in conversation and stuff like that. I said I was never going to really wrestle again, unless, because you never say never, unless the stars aligned properly. They did to work with KO [Kevin Owens] in Dallas, so we did that.”

Cena has a match against Austin Theory at WrestleMania 39. Austin almost certainly won’t, but it wouldn’t be out of the question for him to appear in some capacity. Maybe they’ll cross paths in L.A.

But for now, anyway, a match between them will have to remain a dream.