Friday, July 2nd, 2021 - Detroit, Michigan

In just 16 days (about 2 and a half weeks) WWE will be hosting its Unforgiven Pay-Per-View event in Rosemont, Illinois for the entire world to see. This would be the last show before the biggest party of the summer, SummerSlam. And a lot was at stake with SummerSlam being held live in Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada this year. This meant that possibly 50,000+ could be in attendance and for WWE that would be a huge win. But for SummerSlam to succeed, Unforgiven had to go well so SummerSlam could thrive.

So far, the announced matches for the Pay-Per-View were:

-Ced vs John Cena – WWE Championship #1 Contenders Match

-Roman Reigns vs Edge– WWE Championship

-Bianca Belair vs Bayley – SmackDown Women's Championship

-Rhea Ripley vs Charlotte Flair – Last Woman Standing Match for Raw Women's Championship

-Jey Uso vs Cesaro – Intercontinental Championship

And so far, the show was shaping up to be good. Roman of course was going to main event as he put the WWE Championship on the line after Edge was victorious in his match to become the man to face Roman at Unforgiven. But right before that would be the match that was on Ced's mind nonstop and that was against the 16-time World Champion, John Cena.

Ced had to be victorious in this match if he wanted to be the one to end Roman's 400+ day reign as WWE Champion and free the WWE Universe from the rise of him and his bloodline. Roman had the WWE Champion, Jey had the Intercontinental title and one-half of the SmackDown Tag Team titles after being successful at Money in the Bank last month with his bother Jimmy. So currently the newly named "Bloodline" carried all the gold on SmackDown and Ced was the one who hoped he could be the one to knock them down a peg.

But that was all part of a plan, a plan that had a roadblock and that roadblock was John Cena.

Currently the man who would face the "Leader of Cenation" in a week and half sat in the locker room lacing up his boots as the SmackDown talent were getting ready for the show as well. With only a few short weeks to build a Pay-Per-View event, the talent needed to be firing on all cylinders and the morale around the locker room was just that. Everyone felt like they needed to perform at Unforgiven especially those who didn't have guaranteed plans for SummerSlam.

(!)-(!)-(!)-(!)

The camera panned around showing a wide view of the crowd before the music of the 16-time World Champion, John Cena hit the PA System.

"Time is Now" Hits

The crowd had a mixed reaction as the music of John Cena hit the arena's sound system. John walked out from the back with his green and yellow shirt to match his hat and arm bands. John looked around the arena with a smile on his face before he turned to face the camera.

"Man, I love this," he said before he reached into his back pocket pulling out a yellow and green towel.

"Time to go to work Stu!" John said as he raised the towel up showing the message, "Never Give Up" before he started to make his run down the ramp throwing the towel off into the crowd as he did so.

"Please welcome John Cena!" the ring announcer announced as John slid under the bottom rope and popped back up to his feet. He looked around the arena before hitting the ropes to hit his signature taunt as he popped off. He walked over to the ropes and received a microphone from a member of the WWE Stage crew as the fans in attendance were ready for the "Summer of Cena".

Cena leaned up against the ropes as his music faded away.

"I swear that never gets old," Cena said on the mic as the fans popped at that.

"In just a few short days, I will march into Rosemont, Illnois to face a man by the name of Ced," John said namedropping his challenger for Unforgiven as the fans cheered, "to see who will face Roman Reigns for the WWE Championship at SummerSlam."

"There's a lot riding on this match. This is a must-win situation for both, Ced and I, but only one man can win and go onto face Roman Reigns at SummerSlam for the WWE Championship."

"Now, I have all the respect in the world for Ced, he's an amazing competitor and I wish all the best in his career. I know this kid has what it takes to be the next big thing in the WWE. He has all the potential in the world to be a star, to be a diamond in this industry."

"But at Unforgiven, I got to be the one to crush that diamond and go on to SummerSlam to beat Roman Reigns and win my 17th World Championship."

"And speaking of Roman Reigns, where is he tonight?" Cena said as he looked around at the crowd.

"I think he knows that he can't see me!" Cena said on the mic as he waved his hand in front of his face as the WWE Universe cheered in reponse to the man who had been the face of WWE for so long.

"And after SummerSlam, he's gonna realise that the Champ is-" John was saying until Ced's music hit the PA system interrupting him.

"Icon" Hits

The WWE Universe cheered as the lights started to go around in their frenzy of colored lights. Ced walked out onto the stage head lowered, looking down at the stage floor as the fan's cheers could be heard getting louder. He slowly looked up staring a hole down the ramp into Cena's soul before he spat out his water in a mist-like form and started to make his descent down the ramp.

He paused momentarily at the ringside area looking around at the crowd before walking around to the steps, running up the steps onto the apron before being handed a microphone from a member of the ring crew as his music faded.

"John, it seems as though, you believe that you already have this match won. It seems like you believe Unforgiven will just be a cakewalk," Ced said before he stepped in between the ropes getting into the ring with Cena.

"John, let's make one thing perfectly clear John. This match at Unforgiven is the farthest thing from a cakewalk. You can check the resume; it speaks for itself. You know what I've done," he said as he stepped closer, closing the distance between him and Cena.

"There is a very, very long list of men that I have beaten and even shorter list of men who can honestly say that they have beaten me. John with all due respect you're just gonna be the next man on that list."

"A lot of men have said that same line. A lot of men have stepped up and I have sent them all crashing back down so if you want to be the next one step up fine by me. You say you've watched my career for many years, if that's the case then you know the line. If you want some, come get some," John said the fans cheered while a small smirk came onto Ced's face.

"At Unforgiven, believe me, I will be doing so. John, between me and you there is a big difference. You've been on top of the mountain 16-times. You've been the name and face of the WWE for so many years. Hell, John you've got a big-time career in Hollywood now." John chuckled as the smirk from Ced's face disappeared into a frown.

"Your drive to win the WWE Championship is simply a desire just to break a record. That's the difference btweeen me and you, you want to be WWE Champion. I NEED to be WWE Champion!" The fans cheered as Ced looked directly into Cena's eyes as the crowd cheered in approval.

"John, I am one of the best pound-for-pound wrestlers in this company. There's no one in that locker room who can do what I do night in and night out better than me. No one in that locker room can honestly say that they are better than me. Hell, none of them can even lace my boots!"

"And at Unforgiven-"

"Ladies and Gentlemen," the fans heard one the mic as Ced turned to face the stage leaving his back to John Cena. Paul Heyman walked out on stage with swagger as he had a microphone in hand.

"Ladies and Gentlemen and things in Detroit," Paul said as the fans booed while Ced simply folded his arms looking on with a frown, "John, Ced, you both have it all wrong."

"John, you think Roman Reigns can't see you. No, Roman Reigns can't hear you because you're simply not worth listening to," Paul said as the boos got louder in the arena, "And to you, Ced you believe that you're better than almost everyone in the locker room. You're better than nearly 90 percent of the locker room, I'll give you that, but you are no match for anyone in The Bloodline."

"And if you're-"

"Shut it Paul!" Ced said on the mic as the fans cheered while he looked at the "Special Counsel" with an annoyed look on his face, "You come here week after week after week and say the same damn thing over and over and over again. You and Roman cut the same promo each and every single week and I am damn sure tired of it."

"Every time I step into this ring, I bust my ass just to try to prove myself! I bust my ass to try to get to the top of the mountain and I'm not gonna sit around and wait for Roman! This is my time! This is my era! So, you tell Roman Reigns that I am coming for him! And I am coming for the title!" Ced said before he threw the mic down in the ring as his music played on the PA system.

Paul looked on surprised at the anger that he detected in Ced's voice. The man they call "Black Leone" turned around and faced Cena taunting him with his own taunt before stepping out of the ring and walking up the ramp as Paul and John had their eyes glued to him.