Variety reports that John Cena is set to make his long-awaited WWE return on the December 30 edition of SmackDown on FOX. The show will emanate from the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, and the trade notes that more big announcements about the episode are set to be made in the coming weeks.
Needless to say, this is bound to lead to speculation about possible plans for the leader of the Cenation at WrestleMania. It would be no bad thing for him to announce plans to enter the Royal Rumble match, and we're sure WWE is keen to have him take part in a Showcase of the Immortals that's taking place in Hollywood (especially with The Rock's involvement still unclear).
This will mark only Cena's second WWE appearance in 2022.
He returned for an episode of RAW back in June to celebrate his 20-year anniversary with the company, but didn't wrestle a match that night and instead took part in only backstage and in-ring promos.
In fact, the last time we saw Cena compete was during his "Summer of Cena" tour last year which ended with him challenging Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam. He failed to overthrow the Head of the Table, adding his name to a long list of the Big Dog's victims.
These days, Cena's acting career is a bigger priority, with recent hints including Peacemaker and The Independent. Next, we'll see him in Fast X and Coyote vs. Acme.
There's every chance this return is simply a way for WWE to end the year with a big rating, but do hope Cena will deliver more than just a quick promo. Time will tell on that front, though we're definitely happy to know Cena is going to make at least one more appearance for the sports entertainment giant before the year ends.
What are you hoping to see from Cena on SmackDown later this month?