Projecting John Cena's Role on WWE SmackDown in Wake of New Era

Long the king of WWE, John Cena will slowly slide off his throne as the cornerstones of the New Era take over SmackDown.

Cena's name will remain on the marquee, but not in the top position. He will continue to be a major star, but not SmackDown's centerpiece. A crucial transition is on its way. 

The opening of Thursday's SmackDown offered a symbolic image that spoke to that process.

Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan, SmackDown's commissioner and general manager, respectively, gathered the blue brand's roster around the ring. They announced that there would be a Six-Pack Challenge match to decide who would face Dean Ambrose at SummerSlam.

Soon, Cena stood in the ring with Ambrose and his foes for the night—Dolph Ziggler, Baron Corbin, Bray Wyatt and AJ Styles. 

Cena was not on his own stage, nor on a tier of his own. Instead, WWE divvied up the spotlight.

Fans will have to get used to seeing the 15-time world champion in that position.

He will slowly morph into a special attraction rather than the workhorse that he has been for the past decade. Outside ventures will continue to pull him away from the squared circle and drive him further toward part-time status.

Cena is fresh off hosting this year's ESPYS. On Sunday, he will co-host the Teen Choice Awards.

Recently, he has appeared in movies like Trainwreck and Sisters. He's guest-hosted Today and was the central figure in the reality series American Grit. As he continues to shine in these spots, more producers will come calling.

Expect him to come and go on SmackDown shows, becoming the Brock Lesnar of the blue brand. 

His absence on the billed card for the Backlash pay-per-view is a sign that such a change is already taking place. As of now, Cena is not advertised for the SmackDown-only pay-per-view, as Scott Lazara of SEScoops.com pointed out.

A lighter schedule will affect his booking. Cena is bound to exist outside the WWE World Championship picture for the most part, much the way Undertaker does at this late stage in his career. WWE will simply want to lean on someone who will be ever present, be it Styles or Ambrose.

Cena will instead provide a marquee opponent for stars on the rise.

When SmackDown drafted him last week, Cena told Renee Young, "Every single person is going to get a chance to showcase themselves."

That will be the theme of Tuesday nights, as SmackDown boasts fewer established stars than Raw. Cena's role will be to help elevate the wrestlers set to take over Tuesday nights and WWE as a whole.

Either as an ally or an enemy, Cena will aid the likes of Kalisto and Corbin. 

NXT alumni will get a boost by way of Cena's presence and approval the way that Enzo Amore and Big Cass did leading up to Battleground. As Cena's partners against The Club, the loudmouthed rookie tag team earned more attention than they would have otherwise. 

Their alliance with Cena led to a number of high-profile TV matches and then a PPV showdown in which Amore thrived. Before the bout began, the wild-haired New Jersey native fired off a flurry of one-liners that stunned Cena. 

Bryan Alvarez of Figure Four Online commented on the moment:

More instances like that are on their way. Cena's seal of approval is a powerful tool, and WWE will make full use of it. He may talk up how great a duo like American Alpha is or admire Kalisto's heart.

And just as he is doing with Styles at the moment, he will provide the stars of the New Era with the biggest matches of their careers.

It won't always lead to victories for these SmackDown Superstars, but Cena will do battle with wrestlers WWE wants to elevate. A rivalry with Corbin is inevitable. Should Shinsuke Nakamura move from NXT to SmackDown, a clash with Cena will be a must.

WWE is in the process of getting behind fresh faces and shifting its focus to a new collection of squared-circle superheroes. We have seen that with NXT transplant Finn Balor getting an immediate world title shot for the Raw brand, with Amore and Cass' prominence and with Corbin and Crews being in Tuesday's main event.

In May, Cena said on Raw, "The future damn sure must go through me." That sums up what's ahead for the powerhouse.

The New Era will be about marching toward the future, and Cena will be the gatekeeper to that destination.