Projecting When John Cena Will Return to WWE and 5 Best Feuds

John Cena had a blink-and-you-missed-it run on The Road to WrestleMania 39, resurfacing solely to settle a score with United States champion Austin Theory.

After appearing on only one episode of Raw, the 16-time WWE world champion returned to the ring on The Grandest Stage of Them All but failed to walk out with the star-spangled prize. There was no indication of when he'd be back or what would next for him upon his return.

Cena has gone on the record before saying he doesn't know how many matches he has left in him, but his outing against Theory hardly felt like his farewell. Thus, it's more a matter of when than if we'll be getting another comeback from the veteran.

The 45-year-old has been a part-time performer for so long that several stars have risen through the ranks in his absence. He may no longer be Big Match John when the bell rings, but Cena stepping into the square circle at all is an attraction in itself.

These are the five best potential feuds for the former franchise player and when they could happen.

Cody Rhodes

During Cena's appearance on the March 6 edition of Raw, he made time to call out Cody Rhodes at the end of his segment to share some words and a quick embrace.

Their exchange wasn't audible, but it wouldn't be surprising if Rhodes took that moment to throw his name into the hat of potential opponents for Cena to consider facing down the road.

The American Nightmare has always had the utmost respect for the veteran, and it was cool that Cena returned the favor. At one point, Rhodes vs. Cena was reportedly penciled in as a possibility for WrestleMania 39, but it obviously didn't come to fruition.

Pitting the two fan favorites against each other at that event would have felt forced, but WrestleMania 40 or SummerSlam (whether it be this year or next) would be acceptable. It's all contingent on when Rhodes finishes his feud with Roman Reigns and becomes undisputed WWE universal champion.

Rhodes vs. Cena could even be for the top prize once WWE gets around to doing it eventually, with the story being that The Champ is chasing his record-setting 17th world title.

This might be the biggest bout Cena can come back for at this point, and it should be saved for when it makes the most sense.

Bobby Lashley

There is no shortage of history between Bobby Lashley and Cena dating all the way back to 2007.

Shortly after Lashley arrived on Raw at the time, he was put to the test in back-to-back pay-per-view main events for the WWE Championship against Cena. He rose to the occasion both times but came up short of capturing the prestigious prize.

The All Mighty suffered an injury one night later and left the company at the turn of the new year, so they never had a chance to run it back.

Lashley has been in babyface mode as of late, but it would be easy for him to revert to his heel roots and reunite The Hurt Business as backup while he's at it. He has come a long way from his early battles with Cena and would pose a legitimate threat.

As far as when this blockbuster bout could transpire, SummerSlam would arguably be the most logical option, if not as a one-off at King and Queen of the Ring on May 27 or at WrestleMania 40.

There aren't many top stars on the active roster Lashley hasn't already defeated, so having him rekindle his rivalry with Cena would be welcomed.

The Judgment Day

If The Judgment Day are still around by the time Cena returns again, he would be the perfect person for them to target.

In the last year alone, they have racked up wins against the likes of Rey Mysterio, Edge and AJ Styles. Cena would be another notable name they can add to their list of illustrious victims.

Cena once endorsed Finn Bálor challenging for the Universal Championship on a January 2019 edition of Raw. This was one year after he beat the Irishman in the only televised singles match they have had.

They worked well together that night, but it was never revisited in the form of a feud, perhaps because Bálor hadn't been a heel on the main roster until just last year.

This would be an ideal storyline for SummerSlam, specifically with Bálor taking on Cena and avenging that loss from five year ago. Dominik Mysterio could be busy with Rey Mysterio on that show, and it's not as if The Prince has any obvious direction following the culmination of his rivalry with Edge at WrestleMania 39.

Cena overcoming The Judgment Day would accomplish nothing, but an angle pitting him against them would at least keep the stable in a prominent spot on WWE TV.

LA Knight

Of the many prospects Triple H has either called up from NXT or brought back to WWE in the last year, LA Knight has fared better than most, at least in terms of how he's gotten himself over with the audience.

Granted, his push hasn't exactly reflected it, but he's done a tremendous job of establishing his shtick and getting fans to chant along with his catchphrases.

The 40-year-old has all the tools necessary to be a main event player in WWE, and the fact that he was Bray Wyatt's first foe upon returning was not a coincidence.

The company clearly trusts him to work with anyone and elevate them in whatever way it sees fit. He's long overdue for another high-profile program, and there's no reason why it can't be with Cena.

Knight vs. Cena at SummerSlam on August 5 would be wonderful, but the real highlight would be their weekly promo battles. The veteran is a master of the microphone, and The Megastar has proved in the past he can hang with the best of them.

The brash loudmouth being left off WrestleMania in Los Angeles of all places was a major missed opportunity, but he can easily rebound in a rivalry with Cena.

Win or lose, this could be a star-making moment for Knight.

Logan Paul

Logan Paul has not been shy about announcing his intentions to one day wrestle John Cena, and that really shouldn't come as much of a surprise.

So far in his brief WWE run, the YouTuber has been all about making moments and calling out the biggest names in the industry. He started with Rey Mysterio, moved onto The Miz, and even challenged Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.

His most recent rivalry with Seth Rollins was well-executed and culminated in a fun match at WrestleMania 39.

WWE confirmed this week that Paul has officially re-signed with the promotion following an outstanding rookie year, and the social media star told Mike Coppinger of ESPN that he intends to challenge for championship gold in the not-too-distant future.

A contest with Cena wouldn't feature a title, but it wouldn't need to because it sells itself, especially now that Paul is portraying a heel again. From a character standpoint, the two are polar opposites and the 28-year-old would be a fantastic foil for him.

A match of this magnitude should be saved for WrestleMania 40. Depending on Cena's busy Hollywood schedule, that's most likely when he'll be free next, so hopefully he can carve out some time to make more than one appearance on Raw to build up the bout.

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Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.