WWE Draft 2016: John Cena Must Fill Undertaker Void on SmackDown

With two weeks remaining until the blockbuster WWE draft, fans have already started to speculate as to where their favorite Superstars will end up, including John Cena.

While his future is as uncertain as everyone else's, it would be wise of WWE to send him to SmackDown permanently as he enters the later years of his career.

Cena was a staple on SmackDown upon his arrival in WWE in June 2002. It was on the blue brand that he ascended the ranks and evolved into the main event player we know him as today.

After proving himself as a top-tier talent in the company, he was moved to Raw as part of the 2005 WWE draft, and he has been the focal point of the flagship show ever since—save for a temporary stint on SmackDown in 2011.

Throughout Cena's tenure on the Thursday night program, Undertaker served as the measuring stick for success on the show. Cena learned that firsthand when he went to war with The Deadman within his first year in WWE and was subsequently taught a lesson in respect.

Undertaker was as important as anyone during SmackDown's most prominent years, and with the blue brand set to return to relevance later this month due to the impending brand extension, it's time for Cena to fill the void Undertaker once did as SmackDown's seasoned veteran.

Credit: WWE.com

In the eight years in which he was an active member of the SmackDown roster, Undertaker held the world title a mere three times. When he wasn't in contention for the championship, he was engaging in programs that helped get others over.

From Edge to Batista to JBL, he went to great lengths to establish up-and-comers as bona fide main event players, all the while maintaining his mystique and credibility.

Regardless of whether it was clean or dirty, a win against Undertaker equated to superstardom.

Cena currently has a similar spot in WWE. Although he remains the face of the company, he isn't as prominently featured as he once was, having not held the world title since SummerSlam 2014.

However, he is still involved in main event-level programs with the likes of AJ Styles, Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins. If anything, in taking a backseat to the talent of tomorrow, he has only improved as a performer.

Thanks to his critically acclaimed U.S. Open Challenge, his in-ring work was something to behold in 2015, and he has kept the momentum since returning to the ring at Money in the Bank. He can continue to mix it up with fresh faces and not grow stagnant if he is appointed to the SmackDown brand in the upcoming draft.

SmackDown's consistent quality has been a breath of fresh air throughout 2016, but it is the show's stunning lack of star power that prevents it from being looked at as an equal to Raw.

Cena is the most recognizable full-timer who would add legitimacy to the blue brand and raise the show's stock in eyes of fans.

In addition to giving the program a ratings boost, the primary focus in placing Cena on SmackDown should be to elevate new stars. Undertaker was the glue that held the show together for close to a decade, and the leader of the Cenation can do the same.

Not to mention that, in making the move to SmackDown, Cena would be opening up a huge vacancy on Raw that can be filled by a number of people. Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose are all looking to cement their spots atop the roster right now and would benefit from the absence of Cena.

As I discussed in another article last month, Cena's character evolution has been extraordinary to watch unfold over the past two months. Furthermore, his feud with Styles has been a blast, and there's no reason that should be cut short post-draft.

As a cornerstone of SmackDown, Cena can cement the blue brand as being on the same level as Raw and bring the brand to heights never before reached.

Following in the footsteps of The Phenom, he is a prime candidate to become the next face who runs the place on Tuesday nights.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a digital journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.

Follow @WrestleRant