It's no secret that Tyrese Haliburton is a WWE superfan. A glance at his social media activity shows how much professional wrestling means to him. The Indiana Pacers star has even made several appearances at WWE events.
So, when it was announced that the Royal Rumble, one of the biggest professional wrestling events, would be held in Indianapolis in February, Haliburton probably bookmarked it on his calendar. And after receiving an alert while in Las Vegas that John Cena is retiring after the 2025 season, he might have found another compelling reason to attend the next Royal Rumble.
"I'm gonna try to get there if I can," Hali said via GQ.
Cena's farewell tour
Asked in 2022 why Cena was his favorite wrestler of all time, Haliburton offered an obvious reason.
The point guard's answer wasn't all that surprising because the 16-time world champion's dedication to his craft and charisma helped him be the WWE 's public face from the early 2000s until the late 2010s.
For the past several years, though, Cena has appeared sporadically in the professional wrestling promotion as he has successfully transitioned into acting. He is part of a couple of popular media franchises, including Fast & Furious and the DCEU (DC Comics Extended Universe).
For fans like Haliburton, watching Cena's swan song will definitely be a bittersweet moment. So, it stands to reason that the two-time NBA All-Star would want to savor his idol's final WWE appearances.
A huge obstacle, though, is his day job. It remains to be seen if he will be free to attend the 2025 Royal Rumble. The event will take place on February 1st at Lucas Oil Stadium, just a few minutes from Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Haliburton's future in pro wrestling
Maybe the Wisconsin native should think of a future in the WWE. After all, it wouldn't be unprecedented because more than a handful of NBA personalities have graced professional wrestling events. Who can forget when Dennis Rodman and Karl Malone took their rivalry to the ring in 1998?
The 24-year-old playmaker has also been in the ring himself when he accompanied Logan Paul during a WWE Smackdown event at Madison Square Garden.
Interestingly, New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson was also present, and the friendly basketball rivals figured in a dust-up. Brunson told his fans that he was just living out a childhood dream . That he got to do it alongside Haliburton likely made it more memorable for him and the All-Star guards' fans.
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