What John Cena Returning Does for WWE SmackDown

With John Cena set to make his epic return next week on Smackdown Live, what does his return do for the brand?

John Cena is set to return to WWE on next Tuesday’s episode of Smackdown Live. Things have developed a bit since he left, though. This includes a decline in performance and entertainment on the Blue Brand.

At the beginning of the Brand Extension, many fans believed that Smackdown was the superior brand over RAW. Monday Night RAW lacked in story building and the injuries to certain stars and the lack of utilizing talents in the right way hurt the brand. However, in the last few weeks, RAW has changed the tide and has turn things around becoming the stronger show of the two. Smackdown Live, on the other hand, has begun to dip in both performance and entertainment.

Being a two-hour show compared to RAW which is three, Smackdown Live was able to camouflage their depth of talent extremely well. However, in recent weeks this has not been the case as there have been matches that shouldn’t be on the main show.

Matches like the Hype Bros vs The Ascension should be matches for WWE Superstars, not Smackdown Live. The main event picture has also been lackluster as we saw last week on Smackdown Live.

In the main event of Smackdown Live last week Dean Ambrose, The Miz, Dolph Ziggler and Luke Harper competed in a fatal four-way elimination match to determine the No. 1 contender for the WWE Championship.

The match ended up with Dolph Ziggler winning the match. This week on Smackdown Live, Baron Corbin got involved in the story and now next week AJ Styles will defend the WWE Championship against Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin.

Nothing towards Ziggler and Corbin but this seems like a throwaway match and feud. Smackdown is showing how thin their main event picture is at the moment with this match. With Randy Orton in the Wyatt Family and Ambrose now feuding with The Miz, Smackdown Live is showing how thin they truly are with talent.

However, Smackdown Live is in luck as Cena is slated to return next week in Chicago. He is returning at the Allstate Arena, the site of his WWE debut back in 2002.

Cena returning to Smackdown Live is huge as the brand will add an established main eventer going into WrestleMania season. WWE could go down multiple routes with Cena heading into WrestleMania season.

The first is that Cena could reenter a feud with AJ Styles. The two feuded throughout the Summer with Styles claiming two victories over The Franchise. Cena has yet to beat Styles in a singles match.

With Cena one title reign away from tying Ric Flair for the most all time, Cena trying to beat the man he has yet to beat for the title would be a great story. WWE could also use Mr. Hustle, Loyalty and Respect to compete in the Royal Rumble match.

With the Rumble taking place in the Alamo Dome, WWE is going to want as much star power as they can have to put into the match. Cena obviously fits that bill and would be a great addition to the match.

WWE could use the angle that Cena is trying to tie the record for the all-time Royal Rumble victories with three (Stone Cold Steve Austin owns the record winning the match in 1997,1998 & 2001). Cena currently owns two victories in the event (2008, 2013).

Cena could then use his Rumble victory to go to WrestleMania to try and win his 16th WWE Championship. The final thing WWE could use with Cena is finally setting up The Dream Match between him and The Undertaker.

The Undertaker returned to television last month on Smackdown cryptically stating that he was back. It appears like The Deadman will compete solely on Smackdown Live. With Cena also being a member of the Blue Brand the duo could finally enter the feud.

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The match could take place at WrestleMania in a passing of the torch type of contest with Cena ending The Deadman’s career at the Show of Shows. With so many options that WWE has, having John Cena back on Smackdown will do nothing but wonders for the brand going forward.

With WrestleMania season right around the corner having The Franchise back on TV will be great for WWE, the fans and Smackdown Live.