John Cena’s scheduled appearance on the September 5 edition of SmackDown may serve as his farewell to the brand, a development rooted in a significant internal roster change. Reports indicate that with only eight dates remaining on his retirement tour, Cena is now exclusively considered a Raw talent. This shift adds considerable weight to the September 5 broadcast in Chicago.
The internal change was confirmed by Bryan Alvarez during Wrestling Observer Live, substantiating an earlier report from WrestleVotes.
“John Cena is on SmackDown tomorrow. WrestleVotes is saying it could be his final SmackDown appearance,” Alvarez stated. “I can confirm that John Cena, for whatever it’s worth, is now considered a Raw talent. I can’t say this is his final SmackDown appearance ever – it very well could be. But he is now going to be a Raw talent.”
The potential finality of Cena’s SmackDown appearance is amplified by reports that Brock Lesnar is also expected to be in Chicago for the broadcast. Lesnar’s presence is directly tied to the build for his expected match against Cena at Wrestlepalooza, a feud that ignited following Lesnar’s attack on Cena at SummerSlam on August 3.
With the roster shift, Cena’s farewell tour is now defined by the following confirmed dates: SmackDown (September 5), Raw (September 15), Wrestlepalooza (September 20), Crown Jewel (October 11), and Survivor Series ‘WarGames’ on November 29. His final match is scheduled for Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13, leaving just two appearances unannounced.