Expectations for John Cena's WWE SmackDown Run after Win at Superstar Spectacle 2023

After John Cena and Seth Rollins beat Imperium's Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser at WWE Superstar Spectacle in India, wrestling fans have turned their attention toward what's next for the 16-time world champion.

While letting Cena grace an international show the magnitude of Superstar Spectacle is a smart business move for WWE, the company's creative team must use the Hollywood star's credibility with the fans to help put over at least one current performer before his inevitable departure.

At Payback, Cena was involved in a match as a special guest referee between LA Knight and The Miz, which could be setting up a potential tag team or multi-man bout for a future event.

With Austin Theory and Grayson Waller showing signs of forming an alliance, Cena could find an unlikely tag team partner with Knight in his battle against the heel tandem.

Not only would Cena help Knight stay red hot with the WWE universe, but he would also showcase the supreme talent of Waller, who has all the potential in the world to be a better version of The Miz.

Add in Cena's history with Theory, and the potential for a feud is obvious.

In addition, if the company wants to expand the program, incorporating The Miz on the heel team and Rey Mysterio—an old friend of Cena—on the face team, WWE would have a six-man match worthy of any stage or premium live event.

There is a large contingent of wrestling fans who also look at Cena's 16 runs with a world heavyweight championship and can't help but think the company will eventually let him surpass Ric Flair's record and win another world title.

With Roman Reigns standing tall as the Tribal Chief on SmackDown and Seth Rollins trying to establish himself and a new title on Raw, now is not the time to have the living legend break the record.

Instead, WWE should wait for a heel to win the championship and create a reign of terror, only for Cena to triumphantly return ahead of WrestleMania and steal back the title for the good guys. He could then quickly lose the belt back to another up-and-coming heel, making him one of the most marquee transitional champions in history and giving the company an unforgettable moment that it could bank off financially for years to come.

As a staple of the SmackDown brand for the next several weeks, or at least until the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike, Cena's top priority must be to make the current performers on television every week look strong, going against everything he has done during his career to bury the hottest talents and vampire their momentum away.

If WWE is dead set on having Cena fight for a world championship, he should battle against The Bloodline, setting aside Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa before getting another crack at Reigns. He should not be the one to defeat the Head of the Table, but another high-profile win over a bona fide legend would further cement Reigns' current run as one of the best in wrestling history.

No matter what Triple H and WWE Creative have in store for Cena over the next two months, his time on television must not be squandered. Too many performers could use the rub, and too many storylines that could use his impact on the company to waste his credibility.

Whether wrestling fans like Cena or not—based on his years of using his clout to get what he wants—his presence is undeniable and the impact he could make on the current product should be felt long after he returns to Hollywood.

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