WWE Hall of Famer John Cena is making his return to SmackDown Live later this month, just in time for Wrestlemania season. As announced on WWE Backstage, Cena will be appearing on the February 28th edition of SmackDown, emanating live from the TD Garden in Boston.

2019 marked the first time in more than 15 years that Cena went a full calendar year without having a match at a pay-per-view event, but the belief is that he’ll be in the mix for Wrestlemania 36 in April. If that’s to be the case, there’s a good chance Cena will lay the groundwork for his Wrestlemania appearance, and possibly his next opponent, when he returns to SmackDown Live.

JP Yim/Getty Images

The official WWE preview reads:

John Cena will return to SmackDown on Friday, Feb. 28, as Team Blue continues down The Road to WrestleMania.

It was on SmackDown where The Cenation Leader made his dynamic debut nearly 18 years ago, when he channeled “Ruthless Aggression” to challenge WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle in his debut match. Since that fateful night, Cena went on to become WWE’s standard-bearer, earning 16 World Championships and inspiring countless WWE fans to “Never Give Up.”

An icon in the ring and the star of such blockbuster films as “Bumblebee,” “Blockers” and the upcoming “F9: The Fast Saga,” Cena will soon bring his signature “Hustle, Loyalty and Respect” back to SmackDown, as first reported by WWE Backstage on FS1.

Furthering the belief that Cena will be in Tampa for Wrestlemania 36, he recently told Sports Illustrated’s Justin Barrasso, “And on the subject of WrestleMania, I can tell you this—I haven’t missed a WrestleMania since my first appearance at WrestleMania 19, and I do not plan to miss a WrestleMania for decades to come.”