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Over the past month or so, WWE fans have been gifted the presence of John Cena. The 16-time World Champion has appeared on Friday Night SmackDown week after week.
In recent years, the iconic superstar has not been as present on the show due to his commitments to Hollywood. Therefore, whenever he does show up, it is cause for celebration.
In what may very well be his final full-time run with the company, we are going to take a look at 4 reasons why WWE fans should appreciate John Cena's current stint with the company.
#4 - Giving back to younger WWE Superstars
One thing Cena has looked to do since returning is work with the next generation of performers in order for the business to be in good hands after he is gone.
This past Tuesday, John Cena, along with many other big names, appeared on WWE's third brand, NXT, which houses a lot of young stars. Cena worked closely with two former NXT Champions, Bron Breakker and Carmelo Hayes, two performers who could very well be two future WrestleMania main eventers.
Speaking to Busted Open Radio before NXT this week, Hayes was asked if he is feeling the pressure ahead of working with a legend like John Cena:
"Man, there’s pressure every night,” Carmelo Hayes said. “Especially when they’re trusting you in the positions that they’ve trusted me in so many times. But with having Cena by my side, the pro in me wants to say yes, it’s another day at work, but the kid in me wants to say holy crap; this is so freakin cool." (H/T WrestleZone)
#3 - Working with WWE's megastar
Last Saturday, the leader of Cenation competed in his first televised match since WrestleMania this past April. He teamed up with one of the hottest stars in the company, LA Knight. The popular duo went up against Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso of The Bloodline at Fastlane, with Cena and Knight coming out on top.
2023 has seen LA Knight's stock rise greatly. During a recent interview with WWE’s Cathy Kelly, John Cena was asked to give his thoughts on the megastar:
"(I have) a tremendous amount of respect for LA Knight because his trajectory is that of persistence. You want to talk about somebody never giving up? I have it on a shirt and I try to live it every day. He walks that talk and he does it with his own style and he’s not afraid to be who he is in here (in his heart). And speaking from someone who started as the Doctor of Thuganomics, I have a lot of respect for that." (H/T WrestleTalk)
#2 - John Cena has made consistent appearances since returning
For the past 4 or 5 years, the 16-time World Champion has barely worked a full-time schedule, with him doing one-off appearances here and there.
However, his current run has seen him show up on SmackDown every week, giving many young fans the chance to see him on a weekly basis, possibly for the first time ever.
Speaking at the Fastlane post-show press conference, Triple H said that fans and those in the industry should appreciate John Cena while he is still performing:
"The appreciation level that John should get is off the charts. We all just need to understand how good he is, and what he means to this industry, and while you get a chance to see Babe Ruth play, you should see Babe Ruth play. When he’s here, don’t criticise it, don’t overthink it, just enjoy it, because it won’t last forever, and we all need to understand that. But I just want to say thank you to." (H/T WrestleTalk)
#1 - Delivering iconic moments
Despite having been a part of World Wrestling Entertainment for over 20 years, John Cena is still providing fans with unforgettable and iconic moments.
One of those moments came a few weeks ago on Friday Night SmackDown after The People's Champion, The Rock, made his surprise return to the blue brand. Fans got to see him and John Cena interact backstage as they embraced with a hug.
In the early 2010s, Cena and Rock went on to have one of the greatest rivalries in pro wrestling, with their rivalry including two WrestleMania main events. With the two stars having now buried the hatchet long ago, this interaction was the perfect end to an iconic chapter in both of their pro wrestling careers.
