John Cena is out of action in the WWE due to elbow surgery, and the face of the wrestling organization missed Monday Night RAW this week; a rare occurrence. Despite recovery estimates slating him for a later return, the Cenation Leader is scheduled to return next week.

The WWE Universe can mark its calendars for Oct. 12, according to NoDQ. The sports entertainment news site reports that Cena is being advertised for WWE live events starting with the WWE SuperShow event in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and all other RAW live shows after that date.

As the case always is in the WWE, the card for these events is subject to change, but ProWrestling.Net notes that this falls into the original projected recovery time of three weeks. With the longer estimates putting him back in action after eight weeks, there is still a possibility that Cena will be appearing in a speaking role as opposed to a full comeback.

Cena noted his progress on Twitter yesterday. He tweeted “Two weeks from surgery, swelling is almost under control, bruise is migrating. Im trying my best to get back to #raw via.me/-5nd2cl0 — John Cena (@JohnCena) October 2, 2012"

It was reported by WWE.com on Sept. 18 that John Cena had undergone elbow surgery to have bone chips removed. Since that date, the biggest question has been when Cena would be well enough to compete in his feud with WWE Champion CM Punk.

The two are tentatively due to meet at Hell in a Cell on Oct. 28 for Punk’s title, but with estimates putting Cena’s return after WWE’s October pay-per-view, fans and officials have been thinking of other possibilities.

Ryback comes to mind as a possibility after having ominous confrontations with the Second City Saint on the past two editions of Monday Night RAW. Skeptics feel that this won’t lead to a match, with Ryback being relatively inexperienced, but others see it is as a backup plan, in case Cena’s recovery time extends past Hell in a Cell.

Cena’s early return could mean that the long recovery predictions were inflated by WWE officials to play up Cena as a superhuman-type performer. NoDQ suggests that if Cena makes a comeback before he fans believe him to be fully recovered, it will work him over as the never-quitting hero he has played for several years as WWE’s top talent.

With CM Punk’s recent and extreme heel turn, the WWE Champion has become the bane of the WWE Universe, and in that position has the power to carry a show as well as Cena can. With the fans hating Punk as much or even more than they love Cena, viewers will tune in to see what despicable things he does, in hopes that Cena or a new rival will stop him.

"Punk is red hot and can carry the product for at least the time being," writes Bleacher Report. "Cena now has the time off he so desperately needs."

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