John Cena’s absence from WWE programming ahead of this Saturday’s Royal Rumble is reportedly due to his ongoing acting commitments. According to PWInsider.com (via Steve Carrier of Ringside News), Cena has been filming the movie Matchbox in Budapest, Hungary, based on the popular Matchbox car toy line.
Cena made an appearance on the debut episode of Raw on Netflix a few weeks ago to announce his entry into the 2025 men’s Royal Rumble match, but has not been seen on WWE shows since. However, with Friday night’s SmackDown taking place in Indianapolis, the host city for the Royal Rumble, it’s possible Cena could make an appearance before the event.
Last year, Cena revealed that 2025 would be his final year as an active, in-ring competitor, with both the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania set to be his swan song for WWE. Despite this, Cena will still continue to work on outside projects but is expected to appear more frequently on WWE programming this year.
In addition to the Royal Rumble, Cena is also advertised for Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania 41, so fans can look forward to seeing him in the coming months.
With Cena aiming to break records and become a 17-time world champion, he’s considered one of the top contenders for the men’s Royal Rumble match this Saturday. If he wins, he would tie “Stone Cold” Steve Austin for the most Rumble match victories in history, with three.