The President opted for football over wrestling despite proximity
Summary
– Dave Meltzer reported that WWE wanted Donald Trump to attend the show
– The former President attended the Army-Navy game nearby instead
– Vince McMahon was also absent from the historic event in Washington
John Cena’s final match at Saturday Night’s Main Event took place without the presence of two major figures from his era. Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Daily Update that Donald Trump declined an invitation to attend the historic broadcast in Washington, D.C. The President-elect was in the immediate area for the Army-Navy football game but chose not to make the short trip to the Capital One Arena.
WWE officials reportedly wanted Trump to be part of the spectacle, given his history with the company. The Hall of Famer famously participated in the Battle of the Billionaires at WrestleMania 23, where Cena successfully defended his WWE Championship in the main event. Despite the proximity of the two events, Trump decided against attending the wrestling show to focus solely on the football game.
Vince McMahon was also noticeably absent from the building. Fightful Select confirmed that neither man was ever expected backstage despite rampant speculation online. The report noted that neither talent nor staff were informed to prepare for their arrival at any point during the day.
The night proceeded without the controversial figures as the focus remained squarely on the action in the ring. Cena closed out his legendary career by tapping out to Gunther in the main event. The atmosphere remained electric regardless of who was sitting in the VIP boxes.
