John Cena: Latest News and Buzz Surrounding Star Before WWE TLC 2015

As WWE TLC 2015 nears, fans are having to settle for seeing John Cena in a suit, talking up his latest projects. Cena isn't running ropes; he's walking red carpets.

While the powerhouse is poised to come back to action soon, fans should start to get used to the idea of a Cena-less WWE. As he makes the media rounds during his in-ring hiatus, it's clear that he's setting himself up for his post-wrestling career.

After Alberto Del Rio kicked him in the head and ripped the United States Championship from his grasp at Hell in a Cell, Cena has been absent from WWE programming. That hasn't stopped him, though, from generating headlines, creating buzz and looking mighty comfortable in the world outside the ropes.

Cena has been busy filming American Grit, a military-themed reality show on Fox. 

The show is set to wrap soon. According to the Dispatch, shooting for the reality show "is scheduled to continue until Dec. 16."

That will have Cena out past the TLC pay-per-view. So consider it highly unlikely that he makes a special appearance at the event.

During shooting for his new show, Cena has remained busy, though. He's been out promoting both American Grit and Sisters, a comedy in which he plays a tattooed drug dealer.

On The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, he broke into song before hitting an Attitude Adjustment on his inner child.

He recently attended the premiere of Sisters with Nikki Bella—who hasn't been around on WWE TV, either—making sure to mention his upcoming reality program. Cena also appeared on Today to talk about his new projects.

But it wasn't his comments on his casting that sparked the most headlines; it was his thoughts on Donald Trump's recent anti-Muslim statements. 

Cena told the Today hosts, "The last time we did anything like this was in World War II. And that was one of the most reprehensible acts by the United States of America. 'We are the melting pot, except for you.' That does not go along with our DNA."

Not every wrestler would have handled themselves so well with a controversial subject like that. Few grapplers can be at such ease in all these situations or burst into a comedy act when needed, like Cena has done. 

As Will Pruett of ProWrestling.net said, Cena's going to do quite well when he's done wrestling:

That time may not be far, but it's not here yet.

Cena's break from bodyslams is about to end. As ProWrestling.net's Jason Powell noted, "Cena's next advertised date for WWE is December 26 in New York." In addition, Bill Pritchard noted for WrestleZone that Cena is also set to appear at a house show in India on Jan. 15 and on Raw in San Antonio, Texas, on Jan. 4.

It looks like he'll be thrust back into the spotlight just in time for the build to the Royal Rumble and in the early stages of the road to WrestleMania.

He'll surely be refreshed after two months off. And with so many Superstars out with injury, WWE will be elated to have him back in the fold.

It didn't take long to start missing him. Even the Michigan State Spartans had him on their minds. The Spartan band played Cena's entrance music (h/t Uproxx) during the Big Ten championship against Iowa.

Soon enough, fans will get to hear the real version, and Cena will trade out his Sunday best for cargo shorts and a T-shirt with his name on it.