Why is John Cena back in WWE in 2023?

Is it to simply collect a paycheck while his union, SAG-AFTRA, is currently on strike? Or is he instead in pursuit of the Intercontinental Championship, the only title keeping him from becoming a Grand Slam Champion in the WWE Universe under the modern rules?

No, the real reason Cena appears to be back in WWE, at least from an outside perspective, is to help put the next generation of Superstars over and help to establish them as legitimate long-term players in the same way performers like Kurt Angle did for him some 20 years prior.

Sitting down for an interview with Kayla Braxton for The Bump, Cena went out of his way to send some complements to none other than his Money in the Bank dancing partner Grayson Waller, who he compared to an actual Grand Slam Champion who will likely join him in the WWE Hall of Fame when their respective careers eventually come to an end: The Miz.

“Grayson reminds me a whole lot of Miz, like a lot. From all of Miz's confidence/arrogance, he’s been here 19 years, and he's one of the most reliable, decorated, and elite performers in WWE history. The fact that he’s been here for 19 years and continues to crush it, I think that says good things about Grayson Waller,” John Cena told Kayla Braxton via Fightful. “I like to see somebody come in with confidence. Looking back on my existence, I wish I had more confidence. I wish I had Grayson Walker's swagger when I slapped Kurt Angle back in 2002. Instead, I timidly shook The Undertaker's hand when I should have slapped him too. I didn't have that ruthless aggression, he's got it. I admire that, and we all have something to learn, everyday is a chance to learn and grow, and he’s got a few things to learn. As somebody who's got a little more in-ring wisdom, I want to shake him. He'll find all that stuff out, he's got the first ingredient, he believes in who he is.”

Now to some, like his own Fastlane tag team partner, LA Knight, being compared to The Miz would be an incredible insult, but considering Waller has already noted that he's a huge fan of the “A-Lister” and even has his own WWE talk show to complement Miz.TV on SmackDown, it's safe to say the “Aussie Icon” will almost certainly take it.

Grayson Waller gives Nigel McGuinness the John Cena treatment.

Speaking of Grayson Waller, he actually recently stopped by the Cheap Heat Podcast to talk about Australia, his time in WWE developmental, and his ultimate success as a draftee to SmackDown, which somehow only happened back in May.

Though Waller is usually quick to put himself over for his accomplishments, in this conversation with Peter Rosenberg, the “Aussie Icon” pulled a John Cena and put over none other than Nigel McGuiness, who called matches for 205 Live after his stint as a Ring of Honor Champion and his newest gig as the lead commentator on AEW Collision.

“I still remember one of the best pieces of advice I ever got was from Nigel McGuinness when he was commentating on 205. I was doing 205, and no one cared who I was. I was a legit no one. No one wanted to bother me. Nigel pulled me aside, and he talked to me about Muhammad Ali. He said, ‘When Muhammad Ali talks and when Muhammad Ali fights, he knows he's the best in the world. It doesn’t matter who he’s against. You don't,'” Grayson Waller said via WrestleZone.

“That piece of advice stuck with me where I was like, you know what? He's right. Like, there's part of me thinking I still need to learn more. I still need to improve more. I need to be coached more. All these types of things. But it was coming out in my performances. So the moment Nigel said that and I had full confidence in myself to perform, I think everything went to a different level.”

Continuing to complement the former ROH World Champion of 545 days, Waller noted that somehow, almost no one knew who McGuinness even was, with himself and Andre Chase thus being afforded seminars to discuss all things wrestling whenever they pleased.

“I'll just say NXT, what a wild place it is right now. No one knew who Nigel McGuinness was. There was two people, myself and Andre Chase. So Nigel McGuinness would sit backstage at NXT shows, and no one would go talk to him. Me and Andre Chase would go and sit with him, and we would pester him because we know Nigel. We know how good Nigel is. They thought he was a commentator, lad. They thought he was a commentator,” Waller noted.

“These dumb shot putters from Arizona State or wherever had no idea, lad. So me and Andre Chase, we basically got a seminar with Nigel McGuinness whenever we wanted. It was a treat. I miss having him around. He always had really strong advice, real advice. No, he wouldn't mess around. He's not faking me out; like, good job, buddy. He’s going to tell me how it is, which is what I always enjoy.”

After being relegated to occasional appearances and digital-only television programs, McGuinness is finally receiving some of the shine he deserves in AEW, where he is the lead voice of Collision and calls Pay-Per-Views alongside Excaliber and a revolving third chair of commentators, both professional and… well, whatever John Moxley did at WrestleDream. In a sport that selectively celebrates legends of the past, it's sure nice to see McGuinness getting another chance in the sun.