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16-time champion John Cena is set to return to WWE on the February 28, 2020 episode of SmackDown. This will be the first time that The Cenation Leader has appeared on WWE television since the RAW Reunion show back in July 2019.
Cena had a quiet 2019 in WWE, having made a few sporadic appearances, the most iconic of those being at WrestleMania 35, where he had a segment with Elias. He wrestled just eight times in WWE last year, two of which were on RAW, while he was also a part of the January 1st edition of SmackDown (which was taped on 29 December 2018), where he teamed with Becky Lynch.
We aren't quite sure what Cena will be doing on SmackDown later this month, just days after WWE's Super ShowDown PPV in Saudi Arabia. But, we are quite sure that it has something to do with WrestleMania 36.
Let's take a look at 5 reasons why John Cena is returning to WWE SmackDown:
#1 WrestleMania 36 is in Tampa
Cena returning to WWE just over a month before WrestleMania 36 means that he is making an appearance on the blue brand to announce that he will be at The Show Of Shows, which takes place in Tampa. Tampa, Florida is where Cena resides at the moment, and he revealed recently that he will surely be at WrestleMania 36 in some capacity.
"Performing at WrestleMania this year would be a gift. I haven't been intertwined in the machine of the WWE. I know those WrestleMania spots are few and far between. I've expressed that I'm off. But I've also expressed that I live in Tampa.
This is a big hint that whatever announcement Cena is to make on SmackDown is in someway related to WrestleMania 36.
He did not wrestle at last year's marquee event, but had an iconic moment in the ring, as he brought back the Dr. of Thuganomics gimmick, burying Elias with his words and then an FU.
#2 Announces retirement date
John Cena wrestled his least number of matches in a calendar year in 2019 as he has transitioned to becoming a full-time actor. Cena has time and again spoken about how he does not want to take up the spot of an up-and-coming Superstar, or disappoint fans.
Cena will go down in the annals of WWE history as one of their most important Superstars and it's highly unlikely - if not improbable - of him being seen on a rival brand. The 16-time champion will forever be involved in some capacity with WWE, but perhaps his in-ring career is coming to an end.
Cena began his career on SmackDown, and it would be fitting to end it on the Blue brand. He could perhaps reveal when he will step away from the ring and he may have a few final matches on the brand, like what Kurt Angle had last year, in the run up to WrestleMania 35.
There isn't anything more that Cena could do in the WWE, having achieved it all, and perhaps this is the best time to walk away... for good.
#3 Turns heel
One thing that John Cena hasn't quite done in a long time is turn heel. Cena has been the quintessential babyface for the majority of his career - a hero for young kids, saying and doing all the right things, and being an underdog almost all the time.
But, at last year's WrestleMania, Cena joked about turning heel during his rap on Elias, as well as about "burying" The Drifter. Could WWE use that particular aspect of his segment and turn it into a program for him on the road to WrestleMania 36?
While it will be odd of WWE to do that to one of their most recognisable babyfaces of the last 15 years, the promotion have done made even bigger swerves in the past!
Cena turning heel could give him several dream feuds with babyfaces that he may not have had a chance to face in the past. A heel turn could also show fans a different side of Cena, one that they may actually enjoy and not boo.
#4 Added to No. 1 contender's match at Elimination Chamber
Drew McIntyre, the 2020 men's Royal Rumble winner, chose to face Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 36. The Fiend, who is the current Universal Champion, doesn't have an opponent yet for this year's WrestleMania.
WWE haven't dropped any big hints yet about who The Fiend will face at The Show of Shows, but there was some talk about there being a #1 contender's match at Elimination Chamber. Six Superstars - Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan, Braun Strowman, Robert Roode, King Corbin, and Shinsuke Nakamura are set to compete in a six-man match, with the winner of the match earning the opportunity to face The Fiend.
Robert Roode seems like the odd one out in this group, and there could be a possibility that Cena replaces him on the show, by facing off with him in a singles match. While it's unlikely that he will win the match at Elimination Chamber, with Reigns being the frontrunner to face The Fiend at WrestleMania, he could initiate a feud with one of the other Superstars in the match.
#5 Call out his WrestleMania 36 opponent
The last two WrestleManias for John Cena haven't had a lot of build, and fans didn't have much inkling on what Cena will be doing at the show. Two years ago, he called out The Undertaker and challenged him to a match in the weeks leading up to the show.
The Undertaker did not respond to his challenge, but Cena still persisted, and wanted to be a part of WrestleMania, so he sat with the fans, before he got word of The Deadman accepting his offer. Last year, he was not advertised to be on the show, but made an appearance and brought back the Dr. of Thuganomics gimmick, which won over the fans.
This time, he could maybe once again call out a WWE legend, for a one-off match at The Show of Shows. Maybe Cena could face off against Goldberg, who will be wrestling at Super ShowDown when he takes on The Fiend. Or he could may be put over a younger Superstar, someone like Braun Strowman, or rekindle a past rivalry with Daniel Bryan.
