7 Reasons Nobody Has Really Missed John Cena

7. AJ Styles Is SmackDown's Real Linchpin

AJ Styles
WWE.com

Hype for Cena's Independence Day return to SmackDown would leave you believing the blue brand will be saved by his comeback. In reality, things have been just fine under the watchful eye of one AJ Styles. Since joining SmackDown during last summer's WWE Draft, AJ has been the man to watch on Tuesday nights, not Cena.

Sure, both guys have tangled in feuds for SummerSlam and Royal Rumble, but it's been Styles who has kept everything ticking along in Cena's absence from TV. When AJ says SmackDown is the "house that AJ Styles built", he's not being ridiculous either; every match AJ has is special, regardless of opponent.

Without AJ Styles on the SmackDown roster, perhaps there would be more of a clamour to get Cena back in the mix. When there's such a world class performer having great matches on a weekly basis and cutting the best promos of his career though, it's hard to miss anybody else.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.