Brock Lesnar returned to WWE SmackDown and directly influenced the outcome of the United States Championship match between John Cena and Sami Zayn. Lesnar’s interference cost Cena the title, continuing a targeted campaign against him that began with an assault at SummerSlam on August 3.
The attack occurred during the match’s final moments. Lesnar pulled the referee from the ring, neutralizing a pinfall attempt by Cena. He then entered the ring and hit Sami Zayn with an F5 before delivering two consecutive F5s to Cena.
This latest assault builds anticipation for a widely expected confrontation between the two veterans at Wrestlepalooza on September 20.
Before Lesnar’s appearance, Cena and Zayn had a competitive contest that featured several near-falls. The back-and-forth action saw both competitors use their signature moves, with Zayn even successfully hitting Cena with his own Attitude Adjustment finisher.