This week’s episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown from the Allstate Arena in Chicago is shaping up to be one of the most newsworthy shows of the year. According to a new report, the broadcast may mark the final SmackDown appearance of John Cena’s career.
The report comes from WrestleVotes, which posted on X that there is an internal expectation within WWE that this will be Cena’s last time on the blue brand.
“We’re told some within WWE are quietly expecting tomorrow night to be John Cena’s final SmackDown,” the outlet stated. “According to a source, with only seven remaining dates left—and just two yet to be announced—it’s unlikely another will be a SmackDown event.”
We’re told some within WWE are quietly expecting tomorrow night to be John Cena’s final SmackDown. According to a source, with only seven remaining dates left—and just two yet to be announced—it’s unlikely another will be a SmackDown event, meaning Cena will have debuted and…
— WrestleVotes (@WrestleVotes) September 4, 2025
If true, it would be a full-circle moment for the 17-time World Champion, as he would be ending his SmackDown run in the same building he debuted in. Cena famously made his main roster debut on June 27, 2002, at the Allstate Arena, answering Kurt Angle’s open challenge in one of the most iconic moments in SmackDown history.
The episode is already drawing major attention thanks to its location in Chicago, the hometown of CM Punk. Punk is expected to appear as he continues his rivalry with World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, following the controversial finish at Clash in Paris, where Becky Lynch interfered to help her husband retain the title by low-blowing Punk.
The storyline has fueled speculation that Punk’s wife, former Divas Champion AJ Lee, will make her long-awaited WWE return to even the odds. Reports from Wrestling Observer and Fightful have both indicated that WWE is building toward a mixed tag team match at Wrestlepalooza on September 20, featuring Punk & AJ against Rollins & Lynch.
With Cena potentially wrestling his last-ever SmackDown match and CM Punk bringing his fight to his hometown crowd, tomorrow night’s show could be a history-making night.
