WWE Rumors: Examining Latest Buzz Around The Undertaker, John Cena and More

The Road to WrestleMania spawns rumors, news and buzz about the biggest stars the industry has to offer.

This week, two icons dominated conversation ahead of what could be their final appearances on sports entertainment's grandest stage.

The Undertaker may have made a monumental return to WWE programming and had a newsworthy Royal Rumble, including his elimination of Goldberg and what appeared to be the genesis of a feud with Roman Reigns, but The Phenom is suffering from a previous injury that may put a damper on his latest run.

John Cena captured the WWE Championship Sunday, defeating AJ Styles in another instant classic, but his WrestleMania program is not one likely to generate acclaim and celebration, according to a new report.

Speaking of Styles, what awaits The Phenomenal One at this year's grand event?

The Undertaker Suffering from Injury?

An injury could adversely affect Undertaker's ability to have another iconic match at WrestleMania, according to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Marc Middleton of Wrestling Inc).

According to Meltzer, The Phenom recently underwent hip surgery and returned too soon. As a result, he was in considerable pain after his eight-minute performance at Sunday's Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

That is disheartening news for fans of The Deadman.

One constant in recent years has been Undertaker's ability to perform at the highest level imaginable in time for WrestleMania. From 2007 through 2013, fans had reason to expect a Match of the Year candidate from Undertaker.

From '14 through '16, as his body started to break down, fans could still expect enough in the way of smoke and mirrors to ensure an entertaining match.

The man fans saw in the squared circle Sunday night, though, was a shell of the legendary performer they had come to adore. He looked his age, appeared out of shape and moved with a stiffness not seen since he intentionally moved that way early in the character's infancy.

If Undertaker is indeed fighting a hip injury, it will affect his ability to move at the speed and with the agility a Match of the Year candidate demands. At this point, a good match of any kind may be difficult to achieve if Undertaker from Royal Rumble is the competitor who walks down the aisle in Orlando, Florida.

John Cena's WrestleMania Program

For the 16th time in his legendary career, John Cena is a world champion.

His victory over AJ Styles at Royal Rumble came in a bona fide classic—a five-star match that set the tone for every marquee match to follow it in 2017. While the title victory was historic for the fact that it forever linked Cena to fellow 16-time champion Ric Flair, it may prove inconsequential in Cena's path to WrestleMania.

According to Meltzer, Cena's title reign will be a short one, ending in just two weeks at SmackDown Live's Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. His subsequent WrestleMania program will not be celebrated, nor will it be a marquee one.

Meltzer noted that it is "not necessarily good news."

It is not the first time a legitimate household name has entered WrestleMania in a feud that was not celebrated.

In 2010, Triple H battled Sheamus in the fourth match on the card. The contest—an afterthought of sorts, given the higher-profile bouts on the card—spotlighted The King of Kings without overshadowing him.

Cena is a different beast entirely, though. The franchise star of WWE and the face of several new films premiering in 2017, one would assume the company would want to feature him prominently.

If that is not the case, and this is strictly speculative, one must assume that there are either issues between Cena and management or that his return will be short-lived.

Whatever the case may be, WWE's hesitation in promoting Cena in a huge WrestleMania encounter is alarming, to say the least.

The Phenomenal One vs. Shane-O-Mac?

In the wake of his loss Sunday night, AJ Styles is without an obvious dance partner for WrestleMania 33.

Enter Shane McMahon, who made an unforgettable mark on last year's show with his death-defying leap of faith from the top of Hell in a Cell and through the announcers' table. While he has done an admirable job as SmackDown Live's commissioner, it feels like there is a wealth of untapped in-ring potential remaining.

Having booked Styles to face Cena without any valid reason and then scheduling the Elimination Chamber match for his shot at regaining the WWE Championship, The Phenomenal One will understandably be angry with McMahon.

Meltzer reported that Styles vs. McMahon is a possibility at this point, though it has not been confirmed.

If WWE Creative wants McMahon to have that one unforgettable match that hits four stars and is remembered for eternity, Styles is the guy to put him against.

No Superstar has consistently delivered show-stealing performances the way the former WWE champion has. On the biggest stage imaginable and after a good but disappointing effort against Chris Jericho last year, The Phenomenal One will be out to produce the best match of the night.

Regardless of who his opponent is.