Revisit an earlier confrontation, match announcement - 3 things John Cena can do on the SmackDown before Payback 2023
It was announced on the latest episode of RAW that John Cena would be appearing on SmackDown before the Payback event. Cena's last appearance was in London for the Money in the Bank Premium Live Event.
The Leader of Cenation's name still carries much weight in wrestling, and fans are always excited when he appears on either show. As part of the news, the former multi-time Champion said he'd be wrestling in India for the first time at the Superstar Spectacle in September.
With two big appearances announced next month, what could John Cena do on the Payback go-home episode of SmackDown? Here are three possibilities of what he could do on the show.
#3 Revisit an earlier confrontation with Grayson Waller
If John Cena shows up on SmackDown, it's safe to say that he'll likely be setting up something big. At Money in the Bank in London, Cena took to the ring to petition WWE to get WrestleMania to the city.
While it wasn't successful immediately, the in-ring segment was important for another reason. As Cena chopped it up with the fans, recent NXT call-up Grayson Waller interrupted the promo.
The two exchanged verbal barbs before Cena left the Aussie on the mat. Waller isn't one to let someone get one up on him, so he could easily blindside Cena. His appearance on SmackDown could set up a potential program.
#2 He could be in a segment with WWE's hottest star, LA Knight
The ongoing feud between LA Knight and the Miz has spanned RAW and SmackDown. It's an excellent way to get the most popular current star in WWE, Knight, in front of fans on both shows.
In his tirades against Knight, The Miz has repeatedly mentioned that he main-evented WrestleMania. That match happened to be against The Leader of Cenation. The Megastar will be featured on SmackDown going forward, so what better way than to get two massive stars in the same ring?
Knight already had an in-ring segment with the Undertaker during his Bray Wyatt feud. An appearance with John Cena and LA Knight could be massive for ratings and play into his ongoing feud with the A-Lister.
#1 John Cena could reveal his opponent for the Superstar Spectacle.
As a part of his announcement, Cena mentioned that he was thrilled to wrestle in India for the first time. For someone so globally famous as Cena, it's a surprise that he never wrestled with someone in India.
He's competed in many other countries, but his SmackDown appearance could very well be to reveal his opponent. It could be the aforementioned Waller since they have already crossed paths this summer.
Cena's name will draw eyes to the SmackDown product, so whatever he does will be newsworthy. With the Superstar Spectacle a week after Payback, his intentions for the huge event could be clarified with a SmackDown appearance.