WWE SmackDown: 5 Wrestlers or factions who could confront John Cena
WWE has announced that John Cena will be appearing on the last SmackDown of 2022 on December 30th. This will likely start the setup for whatever Cena is doing at the Royal Rumble on January 28th, as well as WrestleMania 39 in April.
As WWE likes to end its year with a big hook to get fans excited for the new year, it is likely that he will be confronted - either by another singles wrestler or a faction - in order to set whatever plan the creative team has in motion.
Below are five potential scenarios for Cena's appearance. Whether or not this appearance plays into whatever he does at major events next year remains to be seen. But this should be a talking point as WWE heads into 2023.
#1. The Bloodline
The last time John Cena appeared in WWE, he faced Roman Reigns at SummerSlam 2021. While the feud appears to have settled, it is high profile enough that the creative team can go back to it if they want to.
Aside from Reigns, other members of the faction could step up to challenge Cena. The most likely possibility would be Solo Sikoa. He has immediately made an impact since joining the main roster. The creative team has booked him to be dominant thus far and a showdown match with Cena would not only be interesting, but would help increase his stock even more.
Another scenario would involve Sami Zayn stepping up to challenge Cena. Zayn joining the Bloodline has been one of the most compelling stories of 2022, if not one of the better stories in quite some time.
In another attempt to prove his loyalty to Roman Reigns, Zayn could be the one to face Cena. Not only would the match be good, but the promos leading up to the match would be stellar.
#2. LA Knight
.@RealLAKnight has had ENOUGH of #BrayWyatt, but is Bray the one doing the attacks?
#SmackDown https://t.co/fTKyiRqu9B
LA Knight is currently embroiled in a feud with Bray Wyatt. Despite this, he's talented enough in the ring and on the microphone if WWE wants to book a quick program between him and Cena.
The match wouldn't rise to the level of a payoff match at WrestleMania, but the promos would be entertaining and it could be something they could build for either a future episode of SmackDown or even Royal Rumble.
#3. Imperium
News has surfaced that the current plan is to have Gunther face Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 39, which is a dream match for many fans.
As WrestleMania is a ways off, there is always a chance that the creative team could start building to a Gunther-Cena showdown at Royal Rumble. This might be based on the premise that Cena is a part-time performer, which Gunther and Imperium would see as disrespectful to the sport they love.
#4. Karrion Kross
"It's always a sad thing to see, when it gets to the point when you have to put an animal out of its misery."
Interesting words from @realKILLERkross to @reymysterio.
@Lady_Scarlett13 #SmackDown https://t.co/rWrNMr0JLt
Karrion Kross has been idle since feuding with Drew McIntyre. WWE seems to be building him up for a feud with Rey Mysterio. While this will be interesting, it will likely be short-term as the company focuses on building Rey to face his son Dominik.
Kross has the presence for a good showdown with Cena. His in-ring skills need a bit of work, but a program with Cena could potentially move this in the right direction.
#5. Austin Theory could cross over from WWE RAW
WWE seems to be very high on Austin Theory since having him fail in his attempt to cash in his Money in the Bank contract against Seth Rollins. If they are serious about making him a main event player, he would be the perfect opponent for John Cena.
Were they to book that match for WrestleMania, the only way to truly elevate Theory would be to have him win it. Having him participate in a competitive match and lose would raise his profile, but not as much as a win would.