Below are a couple of top WWE news stories of the day, involving John Cena and Shane McMahon:
• Due to the strike in Hollywood, John Cena returned to WWE on the September 1st episode of SmackDown for a two month run.
This Saturday’s Crown Jewel premium live event, where he will face Solo Sikoa, is currently Cena’s last advertised appearance in WWE for now.
WrestleTix reported that this past Friday’s SmackDown was the 8th straight sold out SmackDown to have over 10,000 fans in attendance.
According to the Wrestling Observer, SmackDown has done well in tickets in the last couple of years, but Cena definitely helped in picking up the business:
“I’ll tell you what, that’s freaking John Cena. I mean, it’s like, since he came back there, over 10,000 every single week on Friday night. I mean, they were always drawn well anyway. But when he came back, he is a mover man. He’s a difference maker.”
Cena has also been the #1 merchandise seller in WWE for most of the last two months.
• Shane McMahon made his return to WWE programming at WrestleMania 39 earlier this year.
He faced The Miz in an impromptu match, but ended up tearing his quad just a few seconds into the match.
During an interview with Developmentally Speaking, Declan McMahon gave the following update on his father:
“His rehab is going very, very well. He’s gotten back to jogging, squatting, and he’s starting to work out again. It’s getting kind of difficult for him to bend side to side. But his rehab is going really, really well. He’s making phenomenal progress.
So the doctor said all the time that he’s healing quicker than they thought, and when he tore it, he completely tore his quad tendon. That’s a very long, hard recovery, but he’s been crushing rehab. He’s been doing his thing. And he hopefully will get back soon.
And obviously, you want to see your dad be able to do what they love. My dad loves wrestling.”
WATCH: Shane McMahon Gets Injured At WrestleMania 39:
