John Cena’s WWE retirement tour continues to throw up surprises.
The iconic wrestler is enjoying a year-long farewell to the industry that helped make him a household name.
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Cena had long in advance announced his decision to step away from the ring for good at the tail end of 2025 – and that he’d do so in the most unique of ways.
Far from taking a one-match send-off in the way former WCW icon Bill Goldberg did earlier this year, Cena’s long goodbye has stretched across the calendar year.
He featured at Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber in the early part of the year before winning the Undisputed WWE title from Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania.
A disastrous heel turn – Cena going from a good guy on screen to a villain – was thrown into the mix, too, before being unceremoniously dumped.
Cena has racked up quite the year so far, featuring regularly on Premium Live Events, Raw and, perhaps most notably, SmackDown, the show that helped establish him as a WWE performer more than 20 years ago.
John Cena’s surprise ‘final’ appearance set for Chicago
In a new twist, however, it’s emerged that Friday night’s episode of the blue brand show in Chicago will in fact be Cena’s last.
With eight appearances left on his farewell schedule, a new report has noted that the legend will bid farewell to his spiritual home – and feature only on Raw for the climax of his run.
WrestleVotes reported on X: “…Some within WWE are quietly expecting [Friday] 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.”
The Wrestling Observer followed up by noting that Cena will be considered a Raw talent for the remainder of his farewell tour.
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If Friday is indeed his last SmackDown, it will provide some unnerving symmetry for the wrestler.
In 2002, a young Cena debuted in Chicago against Kurt Angle – a powerful enough cameo that it gave the grappler the foothold he needed to establish himself as a force in the industry.
That now infamous appearance took place at Allstate Arena in Chicago, the exact venue of Friday night’s SmackDown, providing a true full-circle moment of over 23 years.
More than 16,000 are expected to pack into the venue, an arena renowned for producing some of wrestling’s best atmospheres.
That number already out-does the 15,000 that gathered for the first SmackDown after WrestleMania this year, and a similar Raw show the year prior.
It’s highly likely Cena won’t be the only big name in town on Friday.
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Brock Lensar set for surprise WWE appearance
Fightful has reported that Brock Lesnar is set to travel to the show, having ended a WWE exile with an attack on his long-time rival at SummerSlam.
The Beast hadn’t been seen on WWE programming in over two years prior to his comeback, a feud with Cena almost inevitable before the latter retires given they’ve clashed so many times over the years.
It’s also heavily rumoured that AJ Lee could end her own ten-year absence from WWE with a return in Chicago.
Lee is tipped to join husband CM Punk in a feud against Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins after a WWE social media account appeared to spoil the surprise of her appearance.