The onset of summer won’t stop John Cena from blazing new trails.
ESPN announced Thursday that Cena, a 15-time WWE champion and crossover star, will host this year’s ESPY Awards show. Cena is the first wrestler to do so and just the third athlete to host ESPN’s annual awards show in its 24-year-history.
ABC will broadcast the 2016 ESPYS live on July 13 at 8 p.m. ET from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
Cena vowed to fully prepare for his appearance in front of some of the sports world’s biggest names.
“They asked, and of course I said yes,” Cena said. “It goes without saying it’s a tremendous honor. The prestige of the show grows every year. It’s unbelievable. I obviously accepted, but it doesn’t go without its share of nerves. I just want to do the show justice. I’m going to do my due diligence and hopefully we can have a great show.”
The 39-year-old wrestling superstar also promised not to cut down anyone with his jokes … except maybe himself.
“It’s going to be different,” Cena said. “It’s not really my style to go into this and just trash everybody. That’s not the way I do business. I hope that’s not the way it works out. I appreciate these athletes and I know they are heroes to many people, including myself, and it’s not like I’m going to go in there trying to be too cool for school and try to be way smarter than the room. I’m going in there as appreciative of the athletes as everyone watching the show. I’m sure you’ll see good times and humor done as good as it can be, but most of it will be bouncing off of me.”
Just two athletes have hosted the ESPYs in the past — Lance Armstrong and LeBron James in 2006 and 2007, respectively.
Cena has spent recent months recovering from a shoulder injury. He’s expected to make his long-awaited return to the squared-circle later this month on WWE’s “Monday Night RAW.”
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
