Fifteen years into his career as a WWE superstar, John Cena has heard the rumors and assumptions regarding his future.With myriad acting, hosting and marketing opportunities sprouting around him, fans and critics alike have questioned whether the 15-time WWE world champion might soon transition into a part-time wrestling schedule.Further questions abound about whether Cena was ready to follow in the footsteps of Dwayne The Rock Johnson -- whom he calls the ideal example of WWE superstars having talent beyond the WWE ring -- down a road toward full-time crossover into the mainstream.Cena, 39, understands his situation to be unique.Ill answer it like this: Every single day that I dont have an outside obligation, I will fulfill any commitment that I have to WWE, Cena told ESPN.com. And I will attach this quote with it that every outside obligation I have is to expand the brand of WWE and there has never been a superstar to say that before.Cenas plate, at the moment, is considerably full. One day after competing in a triple-threat match for the WWE world championship at the No Mercy pay-per-view, he announced a partnership with Wonderful Pistachios on Monday for a new $55 million advertising campaign.As the voice of a new character, Ernie the Elephant, Cena will debut a pair of Get Crackin ads during Monday Night Football and Dancing with the Stars. Later in the football season, he will be joined in two more ads by Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman.The character has a bit of a sense of humor; hes not afraid to tell you how he feels, Cena said of Ernie the Elephant. So I kind of fit that mold as well.In between WWE live events, Cena has also been travelling to promote his role on E!s new series Total Bellas, a spin-off of its popular Total Divas reality series featuring WWE superstars. Earlier this year, he starred in a series of Hefty trash bag ads and hosted both the 2016 ESPY Awards on ESPN and the first season of the competition reality series American Grit on Fox.Along with his burgeoning acting career, Cena has proven the crossover ability of his personal brand, from Hollywood to Madison Avenue. Hes quick to remind us that it hasnt been an overnight thing.It hasnt been like, Here kid, heres the key to the city, Cena said. Keep in mind it has been a 15-year journey for me and an over 30-year journey for the WWE. I guess my mission statement is now to let the world know on a global scale that WWE certainly is a wonderful form of entertainment but its superstars are more than just superstars inside the ring. They do so much more outside the ring and have so much more to offer.Along with a tireless work ethic, Cena has become a master of corporatespeak, with subtle product references and polished responses meant to protect the interests of both the company and his own brand. It has left no surprise as to why hes so often called upon to represent WWE in a variety of public forums.The self-proclaimed Face That Runs The Place hasnt been shy, either, about promoting his ability to speak Mandarin or his knowledge of WWEs business plans. Cena is a brand ambassador as much as he is a promoter, which is a role he admits that he envisioned for himself from the very first time he stepped into a WWE ring.Its a reflection of passion, Cena said. The Wonderful pistachios campaign is a great example -- I dont involve myself with a project I dont feel passionate about. I could talk your ear off about internal statistics for WWE and what we have planned for the future. Why do I know that stuff? Because I like to do all that stuff.That sort of depth and feel isnt for everybody. Some people just like getting into the ring and doing what they do.Along with his competing passions outside the ring, the idea that Cena was ready for a decreased workload took greater significance at SummerSlam on Aug. 21 in Brooklyn, New York. Following Cenas loss to AJ Styles, he left behind his armband in the center of the ring.The gesture appeared to be very much symbolic of something greater, akin to when amateur wrestlers leave behind their shoes in the center of the mat following their final match. Moreover, Cena disappeared from WWE television in the subsequent weeks.So was there significance to the gesture that went beyond Cenas on-screen storyline (which included Styles wearing the armband in the aftermath)?Of course there was significance for me in leaving the Never Give Up armband in the ring, Cena said.When pressed for more details, Cena wouldnt budge.Thats for me, man, he said.This is pro wrestling, after all. Its always difficult to tell whether a performer is furthering a scripted storyline when speaking publicly. In Cenas case, there is even more blurring of that line considering hes one of the last WWE superstars to compete under his own given name.While Cena certainly recognizes the advantages of that, hes just as quick to admit the challenges that come with it.There is no off being John Cena, its always on, Cena said. In a way, I think that has helped me, because over the years I have been able to be humble. I have been able to be humiliated in front of the WWE universe in a good way. They have shared in my successes and my failures and it went from 12 years ago this kid trying to make it in the WWE using hip-hop as a vehicle trying to establish an identity to over a decade and a half later everybody just relating to the human being that just is John Cena.Transitioning from a more urban and brash character to the wholesome All-American he portrays today was much more calculated than evolutionary, Cena says. He credits his forward-thinking vision that WWE would soon switch their content to a PG-rated platform (which it did in 2008) and admitted he had become stagnant as The Doctor of Thuganomics.To me, there was definitely some method behind it, Cena said. Hip-hop certainly is in sync with the youth and every day that passes I grow less youthful, as much as I have tried to hold onto it. I knew that the platform really wouldnt be indicative of success. I knew [the PG format] would just drastically change the style and almost cripple the character so I was the one proactively who said no and said I would like to take everything another way.Closing in on age 40, Cena admits that hes working smarter inside the ring and constantly evolving, but that doesnt mean hes holding back on taking risks. He quickly referenced his match with Styles at SummerSlam (praised as one of 2016s best matches), offering it up for folks who need to be critical to go back and watch on the WWE Network.Cenas answers to tough questions are too well-thought out to reveal anything he hadnt planned for, making it difficult to guess just how active he intends to be as a wrestler entering 2017. Hes committed to only choosing outside opportunities that reflect WWE superstars in the best possible light, in an effort to change preconceived notions of pro wrestlers outside of the ring.In July it was announced that Fox had renewed his American Grit series for as second season. He has also taken on more acting roles of late, including appearances in four movies in 2015.As far as his wrestling career, Cena remains committed to giving his all each time he steps into the ring. Its all part of what he calls an eternal promise he has made to himself regarding whether he can still perform at the same level of his peers.Right now the roster is loaded with characters, Cena said. It demands that you perform at your best every single night. I dont believe in shortchanging the consumer. I believe in giving the WWE universe what they want and the day I cant do that is the day I move aside. Sale Football Jerseys Throwback . Having already announced that the race will start May 9 with three stages in Northern Ireland and Ireland and finish in Trieste on June 1, the rest of the route was unveiled Monday. Wholesale Football Jerseys Throwback . Jane Virtanen scored two, and Alex Roach and Elliott Peterson rounded out the offence for the Hitmen (40-15-6). Brady Brassart chipped in with three assists. Colton McCarthy scored twice, Brayden Point had a goal and two assists, and Jack Rodewald also scored for the Warriors (15-35-9), who were 2 for 5 on the power play. http://www.cheapfootballthrowback.com/ . Following a lopsided 5-2 loss against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, Paul MacLean told reporters that "theres a lack of focus, theres a lack of leadership and theres a lack of preparation" with his struggling team. That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. Discount Football Jerseys Throwback . Note: The Calgary Flames announced Tuesday that Sean Monahan would not be made available to Canadas World Junior team. Custom Football Jerseys Throwback . Most important, perhaps, it went off without a hitch. Organizers poked a little fun at the now-infamous opening ceremony gaffe that saw only four out of five snowflakes open up into rings, leaving the Olympics logo one ring short.LOS ANGELES -- When four UFC champions and their next opponents stood together on a stage Tuesday amid camera flashes and raucous cheers, the happiest man was in the middle. UFC President Dana White has healthy fighters, pleased television partners and a tantalizing slate of upcoming fall fights. Its a big change from last year, when White spent untold months scrambling to replace injured stars and plugging holes in an ambitious schedule that devolved into a patchwork slate for mixed martial arts dominant promotion. "It feels good to run your business again," White said. "Youre on your heels the whole year, rebuilding cards that were already built and not focusing on building your business. Right now, everything couldnt be better." The unprecedented cancellation of UFC 151 last September was the lowest point in a year crammed with injury postponements and underwhelming cards. Many fans thought the UFC had booked too many shows with not enough quality fights to fill the schedule demands of its television deal with Fox. "Last year, we had main events and co-main events falling off every card," White said. "This year doesnt compare to last year. Were really building some momentum, and these fighters are going to keep it going." White largely blames last years problems on injuries, and most of his important fighters are healthy heading into the fall. Every star fighter on stage for the promotional event at a downtown Los Angeles theatre is eager for a starring role this fall. Georges St. Pierre, Ronda Rousey, Jon Jones and Cain Velasquez displayed their title belts and signed autographs for hundreds of fans on the Hollywood stop of an unusual six-day, 11-city promotional tour stretching across three continents. The champions traded barbs and posed for faceoffs with challengers Johny Hendricks, Miesha Tate, Alexander Gustafsson and Junior Dos Santos. St. Pierre, Rousey and Velasquez drew the biggest cheers from the crowd, which reserved its biggest boos for Jones and Tate. Jones, whose refusal to accept a late replacement opponent at UFC 151 partly forced the cards cancellation, has become an antihero to UFC fans despite his sparkling record and boundless talent. "You guys like to boo me, Im realizing," Jones said with a grin to the jeering fans.dddddddddddd "I feel like Im growing up in front of an audience. But its fun. Its a great business to work in." Jones and Gustafsson will meet for the light heavyweight title in Toronto on Sept. 21. Hendricks gets his long-anticipated shot at welterweight champion St. Pierre in Las Vegas on Nov. 16, while Velasquez and Dos Santos will complete their trilogy of title fights in Houston on Oct. 19. Rousey, the UFCs breakout star of the last year since the promotion opened a womens division, defends her bantamweight title against Tate on Dec. 28 in Las Vegas. Rousey and Tate were the only fighters betraying a serious dislike at the promotional stop, exchanging insults to the fans delight. "How is it not a rivalry? I have everything that she wants in life," said Rousey, who repeatedly made obscene gestures at the challenger. "She just has a way of irritating me," Tate replied. "Its really more of a personal thing." The world tour features most of the UFCs biggest names, but it doesnt include Anderson Silva, whose streak of 10 straight middleweight title defences ended earlier this month with his shocking stoppage loss to Chris Weidman. Their rematch will headline the UFCs traditional year-end Las Vegas show on a card also featuring Rousey and Tate, but Silva had sponsorship commitments that prevented him and Weidman from joining the tour. Silvas defeat served as a sobering warning to St. Pierre and Jones, two long-reigning champions who have often seemed as untouchable as Silva. St. Pierre will risk his streak of eight consecutive title defences against Hendricks, the bearded wrestler who has waited years for his opportunity. "I would never take anything for granted or look past any opponent," St. Pierre said, still smarting from his stunning upset loss to Matt Serra in 2007. "I made a mistake before, and I paid for it, and Ill never do that again." Hendricks and Gustafsson are eager for their long-awaited title shots, and Hendricks believes hes ready to end the Canadian welterweight stars reign. "Im stronger than anybody he has ever faced," Hendricks said. "I hit harder than anybody he has ever faced. Im quicker than anybody he has ever faced." ' ' '