John Cena Says There Doesn’t Need To Be ‘A Formal Anointment’ For The Next John Cena

John Cena talks his return to SmackDown, he friendship with The Nature Boy, and who should be the one to take over when he finally hangs up the ol’ jorts.

John Cena talked to WSVN-TV Entertainment Reporter Chris Van Vliet about the premiere of Season 2 of American Grit and various wrestling topics, including his return to SmackDown on the Fourth of July, his relationship with Ric Flair, how long he thinks he has left, and who he should pass the torch to when it's finally time for him to hang up the ol' jorts. Here are some submitted highlights.

His SmackDown in-ring return on Independence Day:

"I just want to get back in the fray. I think it's a wonderful time to be a fan, to be a member of our WWE Universe. The rosters on both sides, SmackDown Live and Monday Night Raw, is packed with very capable, unbelievable superstars and I'm just waiting to get back into the mix and try to prove my worth once again."

His relationship with Ric Flair, and how he reacted after Cene tied his 16-Time Champion record:

"I have a longstanding friendship with Ric Flair. He's been a mentor to me over the years. It was very important to me that he was there for me that night. He was nothing but encouraging, so honorable and so inspirational. He's a wonderful guy and a lot of fun and I'm really happy that he was there. It was a great moment for all of us."

His thoughts on how many title runs he has left in him:

"I truly don't look at it like that. I just want to be able to be able to perform at an elite level. I know that at 40 years old and 15 years in the WWE now it's been a long journey, longer than most. I have to find my grit every day to keep working hard to keep up with all of these young, strong guys. It truly is a young man's game but I feel really good. I look forward to July 4th and I think everybody will see that I haven't lost a step yet."

Who should be 'The Next John Cena':

"I think it's been passed without me. There's a lot of folks who are currently doing a lot of damage on the roster. The show is thriving in my absence. I think it's extremely competitive. I did win the 16th Championship at the Rumble but I was unfortunate in my first defense at Elimination Chamber and before that, I hadn't really been in the Championship picture for a while. I think the company is moving on quite well. I don't know if there needs to be a formal anointment but they're really doing well without me."

You can watch the entire interview in the video at the top of the page.