John Cena, the biggest name in sports entertainment, is set to return to the ring tonight at WWE’s SmackDown Live event in Phoenix, Arizona. Cena, being one of the most polarizing figures in the wacky world of wrestling, is already receiving mixed reactions regarding his return to WWE television.
There are some who believe that it’s time for Cena to hang up his sneakers and let the new crop of talent take the reins. Others, myself included, believe that there is a place for the 16-time WWE Champion in today’s product.
During Cena’s last run with the company, his role was predominately to introduce the new stars to the casual audience and help establish them as credible performers. An example of this would be his incredible feud with AJ Styles, which helped cement The Phenomenal One as a legitimate star in WWE.
Photo Credit: WWE.com
Looking at the rosters for both Raw and SmackDown Live (Cena is a free agent and is free to work with anyone on any brand), there are quite a few names that could benefit from working a program with WWE’s MVP.
Starting with SmackDown Live, Shinsuke Nakamura is the first name to jump out at me. Nakamura is already extremely popular in WWE, but a feud with Cena could help further establish him as a main event star. I love this idea so much that I did some fantasy booking for SummerSlam 2017 and this match made the card.
Another member of the SmackDown Live roster that could benefit from working with The Face of WWE is Jinder Mahal. Mahal, the current WWE Champion, is the perfect foe for Cena, and a matchup between the two is likely in the near future. WWE will most likely take this direction sooner rather than later, perhaps at SummerSlam this August.
Looking at the Raw brand, Superstars like Big Cass, Finn Bálor, and Samoa Joe could all create magic in and out of the ring with John Cena. However, one match, in particular, is big enough to main event WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans next year, and that is Roman Reigns versus John Cena.
The Big Dog going head-to-head against The Face of WWE is a matchup that will sell thousands of tickets for WrestleMania 34, which is why I think WWE will end up going that way next year. Don’t be surprised to see this bout take place for the WWE Universal Championship on April 8th, 2018, in the main event slot to close the show.
Not only is John Cena not finished in WWE, he’s got some more big moments to create before it’s all said and done. A savvy veteran is exactly what WWE’s new roster needs and Cena fits the bill perfectly.
Do you think John Cena has a place in today’s WWE, or would you prefer to see him retire and head into the Hall of Fame? Let us know on Twitter, @TheRumbleRamble.
