Update on John Cena’s RAW Promo Running Long and Changing Show Segments – John Cena made his first appearance on WWE RAW since turning heel at Elimination Chamber, stepping into the ring to a deafening chorus of boos. His promo set the stage for his upcoming Undisputed WWE Championship match against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41, but it also led to unexpected changes in the show’s structure.
As previously reported, Cena’s segment lasted 32 minutes, significantly longer than the originally planned 15 minutes. This overrun resulted in other segments being cut short, including a match between Jey Uso and Austin Theory, which was initially scheduled for eight minutes but was significantly reduced.
According to WrestleVotes Radio on SportsKeeda’s Backstage Pass Patreon, WWE had to adjust the program on the fly. They noted:
“After speaking to sources regarding this past Monday’s RAW, we are told the beginning of the show went longer than initially planned, as the opening segment with John Cena and Cody Rhodes was slated for just 15 minutes. Due to the overrun in segment number one, much of the content then featured on WWE social accounts—such as The Maxine Dupree-Natalya Alpha Academy segment, along with the Bayley-Lyra Valkyrie spot—were indeed planned for the live broadcast. In addition, the now slightly controversial matchup between Jey Uso and Austin Theory was planned for eight minutes of in-ring action post-Jey’s commercial break entrance, which, of course, ended much shorter.”
Interestingly, The Rock was not mentioned during Cena’s promo, despite the ongoing WrestleMania storyline involving Rhodes and The Final Boss. This has sparked further discussion among fans about where the feud is headed.
With WrestleMania 41 approaching, Cena’s unexpected heel run continues to dominate WWE programming, leaving many wondering what his next move will be.
Update on John Cena’s RAW Promo Running Long and Changing Show Segments
