
After hosting both nights of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, John Cena went to X to hint at some of the actions for Backlash weekend in Tampa on May 9.
“My business could be at WWE Backlash,” Cena wrote. “Sadly, the years have flown by. I’m still trying to do something epic in Tampa for 5/9. I promised Club WWE something special… stay tuned.”
Whatever he’s planning for Tampa won’t involve in-ring competition, which is in line with his retirement from active wrestling in December. Specific details about what he promised Club WWE members are unknown, but the language he used – “something epic” – indicates it’s more than a casual appearance.
Cena retired from in-ring competition after losing to Gunther in the main event of Saturday Night Live in December, before returning to WWE television as host of WrestleMania 42. There have been notable changes to the Backlash card since WrestleMania 42.
A previously planned tag team match pitting Pat McAfee and Randy Orton against Cody Rhodes and Jelly Roll has been pulled from the show. According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, McAfee opted out of the arena following negative fan reaction to Rhodes and Orton’s involvement at the WrestleMania 42 event, a direction driven by TKO CEO Ari Emanuel rather than WWE creative itself.
McAfee honored the stipulation he made before WrestleMania – that if Orton failed to win the title he would leave wrestling forever – by announcing on his ESPN show that his time in wrestling was over.
Backlash 2026 will take place on Sunday, May 9 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, streaming live on the ESPN app in the United States.
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