John Cena to host 2016 ESPYs, first match back is official
Former WWE Champion John Cena announced today that he would be the host of this year’s ESPY awards on July 13. Additionally, his first match back from injury is now being advertised.
The ESPY spot is his biggest breakthrough when it comes to exposure within mainstream sports, and is a significant coup for WWE to get one of its performers so prominently placed before that audience.
The ESPYs are ESPN’s fan voting awards for a number of different sports categories, aired on their main network and treated like other major award shows with a red carpet, celebrities from all walks of entertainment, pre-show, etc.
On the in-ring front, Cena returns to WWE on the May 30 Raw in Green Bay, Wisconsin, teaming with WWE Champion Roman Reigns & Dean Ambrose against A.J. Styles & Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows.
That would indicate his first major show appearance would be June 19 at the Money in the Bank PPV from the new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV.
Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.