Sami Zayn summed up a decade of his career on social media following the September 5 episode of SmackDown, posting a simple but powerful message: “Ten years. Full circle.” The caption was paired with two images of him shaking hands with John Cena—one from their first encounter on Raw in 2015 and the other from their interaction in the ring that night.
The moment took place at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, a location with deep historical significance as the site of Cena’s own WWE television debut back in 2002. During what was billed as his final appearance on SmackDown, Cena gave a farewell address to the crowd, which was interrupted by the newly crowned United States Champion, Sami Zayn.
Zayn clarified his interruption was a sign of respect, not a challenge. He then asked Cena for permission to revive the United States Championship Open Challenge, a format that Cena himself made famous during his own title reign in 2015.
This show of respect led to an impromptu match for Zayn’s United States Championship. However, the one-on-one contest did not reach a decisive conclusion.
Brock Lesnar made his return to WWE programming, interfering in the match and attacking both competitors. Lesnar hit both Zayn and Cena with his finisher, the F-5, causing the referee to end the bout.
Following the attack, Lesnar officially challenged John Cena to a match at WWE Wrestlepalooza on September 20. The booking marks the first time the two will face each other in a one-on-one match in over a decade.