WWE SmackDown: Why is John Cena kickstarting Night 1 of WrestleMania 39? 

This week on SmackDown, WWE made a major announcement around John Cena's WrestleMania 39 match. The match will be the opening match of Night 1 of WrestleMania Goes Hollywood.

John Cena's fight with Austin Theory for the United States Championship was worthy of a main event. However, following the Cody Rhodes vs. Ludwig Kaiser fight, it was announced by the commentators that Cena vs. Theory will kick off Night One of WrestleMania 39. The Cenation Leader has a chance to rewrite history by winning the title for the sixth time on April 1.

The cover star for the WWE 2K23 game, Cena was often called out by Austin Theory in the weeks leading up to WrestleMania 39. Their fight has been in the works since mid-2022 when Theory won the Money in the Bank. He imitated John's catchphrases and movesets, which prompted the 16-time World Champion to make his long-awaited return on March 7 this year. Cena accepted the challenge for a title fight at 'Mania.

With a star of John Cena’s caliber, many in the wrestling fraternity were left wondering why he is kickstarting Night One proceedings. After all, the stakes are high since John winning the United States Championship will see him tie with Ric Flair's six reigns with the championship. A potential reason is that WWE wants Cena vs. Theory to set the standard for Night One with their electrifying bout. Additionally, a potential title victory by John Cena could be a great start to the Showcase of the Immortals.

Another apparent reason for the early booking of John Cena's WrestleMania 39 program is his hectic Hollywood schedule. The wrestler-turned-actor recently wrapped up shooting for his movie Ricky Stanicky with Zac Efron in Melbourne. Time is of the essence for Cena, who has various other acting responsibilities throughout 2023. This is also the reason for the former WWE Champion to turn into a part timer.

Wrestling fans have reacted positively to the announcement on WWE SmackDown. They hope to see John Cena and Austin Theory give a performance of a lifetime and set the tone for upcoming fights. It was rumored that Logan Paul would be Cena's opponent, but WWE went with the most-hyped showdown.

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WWE SmackDown: John Cena's fight at WrestleMania 39 will be the second time he kicks off the Show of Shows

In a coincidence, the first time Cena started the 'Mania proceedings, it resulted in a United States Championship win. History could repeat itself if a similar feat is achieved against Austin Theory at WrestleMania 39.

In 2004, Big Match John began the WrestleMania 20 action against former United States Champion Big Show (Paul Wight in AEW). The bout in front of over 70,000 fans at Madison Square Garden was the first time the US Title was defended at the event and also Cena's first match at the Show of Shows.

In the climax, The Ruthless Aggression specialist John tried to attack Big Show with his signature chain. The referee confiscated the item but the distraction allowed Cena to hit the brass knuckles on Show and win controversially.

Could John Cena vs. Austin Theory at WrestleMania 39 end in a similar fashion? It would indeed be a surreal moment.