John Cena News: Former Champ to receive prestigious Sports Illustrated award

What's the story?

16-time WWE World Champion John Cena will receive the Muhammad Ali Legacy award at this year's Sports Illustrated's Sportsperson Of The Year awards.

In case you didn't know...

John Cena debuted in WWE in 2002, appearing on SmackDown, promising "ruthless aggression" to Kurt Angle, though lost in his first match.

In 2005, Cena became the top star of the company, winning the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 21, before being drafted to RAW later that same year.

Despite being a face, fans have often rejected Cena throughout his career, due to his multiple pushes and restricted list of moves used that fans christened the '5 moves of doom'.

In recent years, Cena has wrestled less, and has transitioned towards an acting career, with the former champion appearing as Agent Burns in the upcoming Transformers prequel, 'Bumblebee'.

The heart of the matter

The award has been described by Sports Illustrated as to "celebrate individuals whose dedication to the ideals of sportsmanship has spanned decades and whose career in athletics has directly or indirectly impacted the world."

Cena will join an elite list of athletes, including Magic Johnson and Colin Kaepernick, the latter of whom received the award from Ali's widow Lonnie.

When deciding the recipient, the publication looks at those who have persevered in sports, as well as philanthropic ventures that show the meaning of a true sportsperson.

What's next?

Sports Illustrated's Sportsperson of the Year Awards will be held on Tuesday, December 11, and will be televised nationally on Thursday, December 13, at 9/8 C on NBCSN.

Bumblebee will release in cinemas on Boxing Day, 2018, and will tell the origins of the iconic Transformer, who befriends a teenager (Hailee Steinfeld) at a crossroads in her life.