Ranking John Cena's 5 best WWE surprise returns

John Cena will return to WWE on the June 27, 2022, edition of Monday Night RAW, twenty years to the day after his debut. The Cenation leader has not been seen in the company since SummerSlam 2021, so the WWE Universe is excited about his return. Fans in attendance and at home will be curious to know what's in store for the sixteen-time world champion and who his next opponent might be.

Returns advertised ahead of time help boost ratings, informing viewers to tune in and experience a superstar's homecoming in real time. However, surprise returns undeniably generate greater excitement and tend to be more memorable.

Cena has had his fair share of unexpected returns over his career, whether from injury or movie commitments. Let's rank The Cenation Leader's five best surprise WWE returns. Let us know if we missed out on any.

---

#5: John Cena returns as the Doctor of Thuganomics at WrestleMania 35

Cena dusted off the Doctor of Thuganomics to put Elias in his place

John Cena was not on the WrestleMania 35 card due to acting commitments, so the WWE Universe did not expect him to appear at the event. Eight matches into the Showcase of The Immortals, there was no sign of The Champ, who looked set to miss the event for the first time in 16 years. Elias was performing a concert when the lights suddenly went out.

A video of Babe Ruth played on the titantron before Cena's "Basic Thuganomics" theme played, sending the Met Life Stadium crowd into a frenzy. The sixteen-time world champion came out in his throwback persona, going on to insult The Drifter with a classic bar before hitting the FU to end the segment on a high note.

While not significant in the long term, this was a nice WrestleMania moment for Cena, fans of the Thuganomics gimmick, and Elias himself.

---

#4: John Cena returns as a fan after being fired at Survivor Series 2010

Cena bids a shortlived farewell to the WWE Universe

John Cena was fired in storyline at Survivor Series 2010 after Wade Barrett failed to win his WWE Championship match against Randy Orton. Nexus member Cena was the special guest referee for the bout and was supposed to assist the group's leader capture the title.

However, The Cenation leader helped The Viper win the contest, and he kicked off RAW the next day to say goodbye to the WWE Universe as per the stipulation.

His farewell was very convincing, leading fans to believe The Champ was at the very least being written off television for weeks, if not months. However, Cena was back to cost Barrett his title rematch later that night, beginning a series of sneak attacks on Nexus members, which led to his eventual reinstatement.

While he was barely gone for three hours, his return was shocking because of how well the prior farewell was executed.

---

#3: John Cena returns to help The Rock fight off The Wyatt Family at WrestleMania 32

The Champ came to his former foe's rescue at WrestleMania 32

John Cena did not have a match at WrestleMania 32 due to a shoulder injury that had been operated on three months prior to the show. The Face That Runs The Place announced that he would miss the Show of Shows for the first time since WrestleMania 20. At the event, The Rock, Cena's opponent at the 28th and 29th editions of the Showcase of Immortals, beat Eric Rowan in six seconds.

After the record-setting victory, The Great One faced a multi-man post-match attack from The Wyatt Family before The Cenation leader came to his aid with a surprise return. Together, the duo fought off the Wyatts, standing tall to cap off an incredible WrestleMania moment.

---

#2: John Cena returns to confront Roman Reigns at Money In The Bank 2021

To the shock of the WWE Universe, Cena returned after the main event between Roman Reigns and Edge at Money in the Bank 2021, confronting The Tribal Chief. The Champ received one of the biggest crowd reactions of all time when his music hit, and the internet wrestling community was abuzz with joy. The ensuing feud culminated in a loss for Cena at Summerslam, but his comeback remains one of the most memorable in WWE history.

---

#1: John Cena returns early from injury at Royal Rumble 2008

When John Cena tore his pectoral muscle clean off the bone in October 2007, he was ruled out of action for up to a year. This meant he was expected to miss Summerslam 2008, let alone WrestleMania 24. A Royal Rumble appearance just three months later was the last thing anyone expected.

Yet that's exactly what happened, with Cena entering at number 30 in one of the biggest Rumble surprises of all time. The Madison Square Garden crowd erupted into cheers, scarcely believing their eyes. The night's excitement was not over as The Champ eliminated Triple H last to win the Rumble and book his place in the main event of the Show of Shows.

This remains one of the greatest Royal Rumble returns of all time.