WWE Legend's Shock Claim Over Vince McMahon Returning for John Cena’s Farewell Tour

Vince McMahon hasn't been seen on WWE TV since 2022 amid an ongoing lawsuit involving the company's former chairman. Former employee Janel Grant filed a lawsuit against McMahon that alleges sex trafficking and assault.

The 79-year-old briefly retired from WWE in July 2022 after allegations of misconduct but returned as chairman in January 2023. Grant's lawsuit then led to his permanent departure, as he resigned as executive chairman of TKO Group Holdings in January 2024.

Ray first discussed Cena's send-off during an appearance on SiriusXM Busted Open radio by explaining how emotional the night would be:

"Cena's last match will be in Boston or his last appearance will be in Boston. People will be crying their eyes out over John's retirement. It's going to be a very emotional night. People will be very happy, tears of joy, a little bit of sadness."

Ray continued by delving into Cena's relationship with McMahon and his daughter, Stephanie McMahon:

"Vince is the guy who gave Cena his opportunity. Stephanie is the one who truly gave John his opportunity because she heard him rapping at the back of the tour bus. John and Vince have remained friends through everything."

Cena has still held a strong friendship with McMahon despite the ongoing case, and they were pictured meeting for dinner a month after the first allegations of misconduct came to light. Their bond goes back years after the 17-time world champion broke onto the main roster with his former boss positioning him as the face of WWE.

Ray added:

"If Vince were to come out in that moment to give John his final farewell, I think the people would like to see that or would embrace it. Because it was Vince McMahon's WWE that John Cena was the face of. He was the face of Ruthless Aggression, the biggest babyface in the company during Vince McMahon's time. I think they can ride that wave."

There has been no suggestion that WWE would be willing to bring McMahon back for Cena's final appearance in Boston. They have attempted to steer clear of the company's former chairman during his lawsuit and removed any mention of him as possible, including on WWE.com.

WWE's chief content officer Triple H and president Nick Khan have already received significant backlash over their decision to bring Brock Lesnar back at SummerSlam, as he has been named in the lawsuit. Grant's counsel called his return an attempt to "sweep misconduct under the carpet".

"I Love The Guy" - John Cena Defended His Relationship With Vince McMahon 

Cena has reaffirmed his support for McMahon as a friend whenever asked about the situation involving allegations of sexual misconduct. He gave a telling insight into his stance during an appearance on the Howard Stern Show in February 2024:

"I'm a big advocate of love and friendship and honesty, and communication, in the same breath, I’m also a big advocate of accountability. If someone’s behavior lies so far outside of your value system that the balance shifts of, ‘I can’t operate in a world where this works.’ That’s the end result of being accountable"

He added:

Right now, I’m gonna love the person I love, be their friend. ‘I love you, you have a hill to climb.’ There is the saying of, ‘You don’t know who your friends are until s--- hits the fan or your back is against the wall.’ That doesn’t make any of what’s going on any easier to swallow."

Cena and McMahon have known each other for around 25 years, when the former WWE champion got his break in the company in developmental territory OVW. They grew close once he arrived on the main roster, and their friendship remains intact:

"I've openly said, I love the guy, I have a great relationship with the guy, and that’s that. It’s largely my construct of operating with honesty and communication. Those are strong leads to handling any problem or achievement. The whole thing is super unfortunate and it sucks. It deals with an individual I love and an entity I love. I want everyone to have the experience that I have."

McMahon's return would be a decision for WWE's higher-ups despite Triple H suggesting Cena had a say in Lesnar's return. WWE President Khan is reportedly of the attitude that if it's not a criminal conviction, then it's not an issue, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

If that's the case, then there should be little to no chance of McMahon returning while tied to an ongoing lawsuit. Cena's next match will take place at Clash in Paris, where he will face Logan Paul in a singles match on August 31. That is thought to be one of his last eight more scheduled appearances, with Survivor Series likely his final PLE appearance on November 29.