WWE Officials Getting Desperate For John Cena To Return To ‘SmackDown’ Sooner Than Expected
The WWE Universe doesn’t know when to expect John Cena back on WWE programming, but it’s been said WWE officials are asking him to return to SmackDown much sooner than anyone expected. John Cena has not been featured on WWE television since proposing to Nikki Bella on the grandest stage of them all. There isn’t a specific timetable for his return yet, but there have been rumors about him returning soon to WWE.
Most people are assuming that John Cena will return to television before WWE Summerslam in August. It’s been rumored he could be returning to SmackDown for the WWE Money in the Bank PPV this June. There is already some speculation about what WWE officials will have planned for Cena when he makes his return to SmackDown. However, it seems WWE is far more concerned with getting him on WWE television first.
John Cena’s commitments in Hollywood have forced him to take some time off from the company. Cena will return to WWE programming sooner rather than later on his own. Few can doubt his commitment to WWE at this point, but it’s coming to light that WWE officials could be getting desperate for Cena to return soon.
It’s being reported that WWE officials have major concerns about their flagging ratings over the past couple of weeks since WrestleMania 33. Shinsuke Nakamura was brought to SmackDown to fill a top babyface role for the brand in John Cena’s absence. However, WWE officials have been careful about Nakamura’s booking, and he won’t have his first match until WWE Backlash in a few weeks when he takes on Dolph Ziggler.
WWE’s recent “Superstar Shakeup” also brought a lot of change to Raw and SmackDown, which may have had a huge impact on the ratings over the past few weeks. Regardless, WWE officials aren’t hitting the panic button yet, but there is some desperation to get out of the rating slump before it becomes a bigger issue. The powers that be have a history of asking their reliable performers for help and Cena is at the top of that list.
Apparently, WWE officials have asked or will eventually ask Cena if he would be interested in making some appearances on SmackDown Live over the coming weeks before his official return to WWE television. The idea would be to give “the blue brand” a helpful boost heading into the WWE Money in the Bank PPV, and it may help to improve ratings. If the powers that be think ahead, it could also be used as an extended preview.
There has been some speculation about Cena vs. Nakamura happening at some point over the next year. On paper, WWE officials could save that match for WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans. However, there’s a strong possibility that it could happen at WWE Summerslam this summer. Nothing is confirmed, but if the powers that be are looking to make a big splash, a huge rivalry between Cena and Nakamura could be the answer.
Their feud wouldn’t be about babyface versus heel. It would be about establishing the future of WWE, which would make a lot of sense considering Cena’s commitments to Hollywood are taking more of his time away from the company. No one is doubting his passion for WWE, but his age and movie career are proving that his wrestling career has an expiration date. Cena putting over the future while he can is best for business. As of this writing, John Cena’s return is still up in the air, but WWE officials could pull him back really soon.
[Featured Image by WWE]
