Seth Rollins Wants John Cena; WWE Rumors on AJ Styles' Return and Injured Jacob Fatu
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.
Seth Rollins Hopes to Face John Cena During His Retirement Tour
Earlier this summer, John Cena announced at the Money in the Bank premium live event that 2025 will be the final year of his legendary wrestling career. The 16-time world champion will be embarking on a farewell tour, and a former rival is hoping to share the ring with him once again.
While speaking to Buffalo Bills team reporter Maddy Glab, WWE Superstar Seth Rollins was asked to share his thoughts on Cena's upcoming retirement tour, and he expressed his desire to have another match against arguably the greatest wrestler of his generation.
"If I know John as well as I think I do, this next year, it sounds like it's gonna be 2025; it's gonna be a special, special year for John Cena. He is not the type to do things small. He is not the type to be understated," Rollins said (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News).
Rollins continued: "If you've seen anything John's ever done in WWE, or if you've watched any of his movies, for example, you know that John is larger than life, and he has a big personality, and I imagine he will wanna have his last year be his best year. I am looking forward to seeing what John brings to the table next year. It's going to be a great time and hope I can get back in the ring with him at least one more time before he hangs it up."
Cena is expected to compete at multiple major events next year, including the Royal Rumble, the Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania 41. The 47-year-old's retirement tour is reportedly expected to cover 100 dates, and his career will come to an end in December 2025.
Rollins and Cena have clashed many times in the past. The two of them have a special in-ring chemistry, so fans will undoubtedly be excited to see them go up against each other one more time.
AJ Styles' Return Reportedly Delayed by WWE Creative Team
WWE Superstar AJ Styles has been off television since his loss to WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes at Clash at the Castle: Scotland in June, and his expected return at the Aug. 9 episode of SmackDown Live didn't happen.
It appears that there's a simple explanation for Styles' continued absence. According to PWInsider (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), Styles wasn't even in attendance for SmackDown Live this past week because "the company had already finalized creative plans and decided it wasn't the right time to bring him back."
There are indications that Styles' return to WWE TV is imminent, as the report went on to add that he's expected to be included in storylines leading up to the Bash in Berlin premium live event on Aug. 31.
Following his loss to Rhodes, Styles was announced for a special appearance for Pro Wrestling NOAH in a match against four-time world champion Naomichi Marufuji at the company's Destination event on July 13 at the historic Nippon Budokan. Styles earned the win over Marufuji after delivering his patented Styles Clash.
Styles is one of the greatest in-ring performers of all time, so it will be fun to see how his return to WWE plays out this summer.
Jacob Fatu's Absence Reportedly Sparked Injury Concerns
After being seen wearing a walking boot following the SummerSlam premium live event, Jacob Fatu fueled speculation that he suffered a legitimate injury.
Unfortunately, the concerns regarding Fatu's status reportedly were raised even higher this week. According to PWInsider (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), Fatu was not present backstage at the Aug. 9 episode of SmackDown Live, leading to "growing concerns among WWE talent" that his injury might be serious.
Fatu appeared to injure his leg when he dove off the top rope for a splash on WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes that sent him crashing through the announce table. He struggled to stand up after delivering the splash, and announcer Corey Graves said during SmackDown Live that the injury was the cause of Fatu's absence from the show.
Fatu made his WWE debut less than two months ago, but it didn't take him long to become one of the most exciting performers in the company. On the Aug. 2 episode of SmackDown Live the day before SummerSlam, he teamed with Tama Tonga to defeat DIY and win the WWE Tag Team Championships.
The 32-year-old was expected to play a major role in the ongoing storyline featuring The Bloodline and Roman Reigns, who returned at SummerSlam and started a rivalry with Solo Sikoa.
Fans are certainly hoping that Fatu won't be sidelined for too long, as he is an integral part of the best long-term storyline in WWE.
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