On tonight’s edition of WWE Monday Night Raw, Acting General Manager Baron Corbin announced that John Cena will be replaced in the inaugural WWE World Cup tournament at this coming Friday’s Crown Jewel event.

Corbin announced Cena’s replacement as being Bobby Lashley, with the reason being how impressive Lashley was during his match on tonight’s broadcast against Finn Balor, which saw Lashley get disqualified due to outside interference from Lio Rush. Following the match, Lashley continued to attac Balor.

As previously reported, it is being speculated that Cena had refused to take part in Crown Jewel, which will be streaming live on the WWE Network from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this coming Friday, due to issues involving the recent disappearance and murder of a journalist that allegedly took place at the Saudi consulate in Turkey. However, it should be noted that the reports about Cena, however, have not yet been officially confirmed.