— John Cena’s final WWE match is officially scheduled for December 13 at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, DC.
For much of the year, fans expected Cena to retire in his hometown of Boston. However, according to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE changed plans after Boston declined to pay the $7 million site fee the company requested. City officials reportedly had concerns about hosting an event just two weeks before Christmas and questioned whether there would be enough tourism to justify the cost.
WWE instead selected Washington, DC for financial reasons, though the company has not revealed the site fee for the event. To ensure Boston fans still get a proper farewell, WWE has scheduled a RAW taping on November 10, marking Cena’s final appearance in his hometown.
There’s also speculation that Cena’s farewell in Washington could feature surprise guests. With Donald Trump expected to attend the Army vs. Navy football game in the city earlier that day, some believe he could make an appearance at WWE’s event.
In recent years, both WWE and the UFC have relied heavily on large site fees, with host cities covering not only venue costs but additional expenses, banking on the economic boost from tourism.
— During a recent appearance on the “Glory Daze” podcast, Ric Flair shared that he had spoken with Hulk Hogan the day before Hogan’s passing and mentioned that The Hulkster seemed “fine.”
Hogan, who was 71, died in July from cardiac arrest.
Hogan’s widow, Sky Daily, is reportedly preparing a medical malpractice lawsuit, believing that complications during his surgery may have contributed to his death. Flair stated,
“Well, I talked to him the day before and he was fine. Now the whole thing is breaking down, they think that he was taking illegal prescriptions or the doctor was overprescribing. I mean, you never know what to believe anymore. So, I’m just I’m not quoting what I know for a fact, I’m just telling you that if you google Hogan, his daughter is upset, the family is divided. Nothing worse. A lot of people don’t realize, he had 11 back operations. Both hips replaced, both knees replaced, one shoulder replaced — it got infected and caused a heart attack almost while he was under anesthesia with his shoulder. Now, he was just getting the second of two neck surgeries and they found out he had leukemia. They never should’ve been operating on him with leukemia. That’s just what I’ve been told by doctors that I ask.“
— WWE officially announced today that WrestleMania 43 will be held in Saudi Arabia in 2027. The Undertaker attended the announcement event and spoke with Joe Tessitore about what fans in Saudi Arabia can expect from the show. He said,
“Without a doubt, they’re in store for incredible passion. WWE fans are known worldwide for their enthusiasm, and I think people will be blown away by the same level of passion from the fans in Saudi Arabia. His Excellency Turki Al-Sheikh has played such an instrumental role in WWE’s growth in the region. Fans are going to be pleasantly surprised by the kindness and love they’ll show for what we do. And I can only imagine that the pomp and circumstance you expect from WWE and WrestleMania will be off the charts when we take the show to Saudi Arabia.”
Reports indicate that WWE is receiving a “mind-blowing” payment for the event. Earlier today, it was also noted that Saudi Arabia hopes to see The Rock headline WrestleMania 43 against either Roman Reigns or Cody Rhodes.
