Tomorrow night’s episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown from the Allstate Arena in Chicago is shaping up to be a newsworthy event, as a new report suggests it may be the final SmackDown appearance of John Cena’s career. The show is also expected to feature the highly anticipated return of CM Punk to his hometown, with fan speculation running high about a potential appearance from his wife, AJ Lee.
The report regarding John Cena comes from WrestleVotes, which posted on X that there is an internal expectation within WWE that this will be his 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 report 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.”
If tomorrow is indeed his final SmackDown, it would mark a significant full-circle moment for the 16-time World Champion. The report notes that this would mean “Cena will have debuted and ended his run on the blue brand in the very same building, Chicago’s Allstate Arena.” Cena famously made his main roster debut on the June 27, 2002, episode of SmackDown from that same arena, answering an open challenge from Kurt Angle.
The show is already the subject of intense fan interest due to its location in Chicago, the hometown of CM Punk. Punk is expected to be at the event to continue his storyline with World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. This follows the events of Clash in Paris, where Rollins’s wife, Becky Lynch, interfered in the main event by delivering a low blow to Punk, allowing Rollins to retain his title.
The angle has led to widespread speculation that Punk’s wife, former Divas Champion AJ Lee, will return to WWE to even the odds. Recent reports from the Wrestling Observer and Fightful have indicated that a mixed tag team match pitting CM Punk and AJ Lee against Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch is the planned main event for the upcoming Wrestlepalooza Premium Live Event on September 20. If you have been watching WWE TV in recent days, it’s very clear that Lee is returning. An appearance by Lee on tomorrow’s SmackDown in Chicago would be a logical next step in building to that potential match.
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
