Monday Night Raw: John Cena Returns, WWE Honors Military On Memorial Day 2016

John Cena is set to make his long-awaited return to WWE on the Memorial Day edition of “Monday Night Raw.” The 15-time world champion has yet to appear on WWE’s flagship show in 2016, but he’s finally ready to come back after missing five months because of shoulder surgery.

Cena appeared briefly at WrestleMania 32, helping The Rock fend off The Wyatt Family, but he’s been largely absent from WWE for the better part of seven months. After losing the United States Championship to Alberto Del Rio at Hell in a Cell, Cena took a two-month hiatus to film his new reality-TV show, “American Grit.” Now that he’ll be back on a weekly basis, WWE’s biggest star for the last decade-plus is bound to make an immediate impact.

It’s unknown exactly what will happen when Cena makes his way to the ring on Monday, but two possibilities stand out as the most likely: he’ll demand a rematch for the U.S. title or enter himself into the Money in the Bank Ladder Match.

Cena is owed a rematch for the U.S. Championship, which is now held by Rusev, whom Cena won the belt from at WrestleMania 31. Defending the title weekly in his “U.S. Open Challenge” on “Raw,” Cena made the championship more meaningful than it had been in years during his title reign. Now that Roman Reigns and the new generation of WWE stars are dominating the WWE World Heavyweight Championship picture, WWE could be planning to put the U.S. Title back on Cena, strengthening the midcard.

But Cena is still the top star in WWE, and he could regain the company’s No.1 belt at any moment. Six of the seven entrants in the Money in the Bank Ladder match have already been named, leaving one spot that could be filled by Cena. Late in 2015, there were rumors that WWE was considering making Cena vs. Reigns the main event of WrestleMania 32. It’s not inconceivable that Cena could win the ladder match at WWE’s June 19 pay-per-view and decide to challenge Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in August.

“Raw” will also feature a potential confrontation between Reigns and Seth Rollins, who will challenge for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Money in the Bank next month. Baron Corbin will have a match on Monday, and Charlotte is expected to address her recent treatment of Ric Flair.

WWE will also honor the armed forces on Memorial Day with the video below.

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