On his final WWE SmackDown appearance in Chicago’s Allstate Arena, John Cena turned his United States Championship match against Sami Zayn into a tribute to his storied career, using the signature moves of several legendary rivals. The September 5th bout was built around Cena honoring the competitors who shaped his legacy.
Throughout the contest, Cena systematically paid homage to his past opponents. He hit an Angle Slam and applied an Ankle Lock for Kurt Angle, a Pop-Up Powerbomb for Kevin Owens, a Clothesline From Hell for JBL, and the Go To Sleep in a nod to Chicago’s own CM Punk. He also attempted an RKO, the finisher of Randy Orton, before Zayn countered the move.
One of the key moments came when Cena hit a Spear on Zayn. While announcer Michael Cole initially suggested it was a reference to Roman Reigns, Corey Graves correctly identified it as a tribute to seven-time World Heavyweight Champion Edge. Cena later confirmed this on his Instagram account by posting a photo of his former rival.
The tribute-filled match did not reach a clean conclusion. Brock Lesnar made a run-in, hitting both Cena and Zayn with an F5 and causing the referee to call for a no contest.
Following the attack, Lesnar confirmed in a backstage promo that he will face Cena at Wrestlepalooza on September 20 in Indianapolis.
The unique title match was set up earlier in the night after Cena was interrupted by Zayn, who offered him a championship opportunity in a callback to the famous John Cena US Open Challenge.
This final SmackDown appearance served as a bookend for Cena’s career on the brand, as his WWE television debut also took place in the Allstate Arena over 23 years ago.