John Cena, or “The Free Agent” as WWE is calling him, made his return to Raw tonight (Aug. 21). It wasn’t much of a secret - he’s long been advertised for the SummerSlam fallout show at Barclays Center and several other upcoming Monday nights, but General Manager Kurt Angle played it like one.
Angle introduced Cena to the Brooklyn crowd, and before we knew it, he was mixing it up on the microphone with potential dream match opponents Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe, and his old rival, Intercontinental champion The Miz.
The A-Lister ruled that segment, delivering one of the worked shoot-style promos he used to help make Talking Smack “must see TV” during his SmackDown run:
That segment also set up the main event, a tag match between odd couple pairings Reigns and Cena on one side, and Miz and Joe on the other.
In the match itself, issues were furthered between the 16 time WWE champ and both rumored future opponents Reigns and Joe. The Samoan Submission Machine had Cena in a Coquina Clutch when Roman tried to free him with a Superman Punch, but The Big Dog punched out the Free Agent instead.
The finish was a familiar scene, however. Miz sought to take advantage of the man he lost a mixed tag match to at WrestleMania 33, but was a little slow in locking in the Skull Crushing Finale. Cena reversed into an AA and, well, you know the drill.
Miz certainly does.
We’ll see what’s next for John, but if we had to guess, it’ll be a No Mercy match with Samoa Joe while they continue to tease Reigns for a Big 4 show down the road.
As for Miz? Keep your chin up, buddy. You’ve still got Maryse, the Miztourage and that gorgeous white and gold belt.