It’s only been a week since Summerslam 2025 PLE, but WWE’s upcoming event, Clash in Paris, is already generating excitement. John Cena, who is currently on his WWE Retirement Tour, is set to compete, and his opponent was revealed during last Friday’s SmackDown episode in Montreal—not Brock Lesnar as many expected, but Logan Paul.
On this week’s SmackDown, Logan Paul challenged John Cena to a match in Paris. Before Cena could respond, Drew McIntyre attacked him, but Cody Rhodes, Cena’s Summerslam rival and the new WWE undisputed champion, came to his rescue. Cena then accepted Paul’s challenge. Earlier in the show, Cena was confronted by Brock Lesnar, who attacked him after their Summerslam match. Cena mentioned that Lesnar has “John Cena issues” and suggested that issues with Cena run throughout the roster, which led to Paul entering the ring.
The main event of SmackDown featured Cody Rhodes and John Cena against Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul. The match ended in disqualification after Paul delivered a low blow to Cena. The chaos continued post-match as McIntyre struck Rhodes with the title belt and slammed him through the announce table, setting up Rhodes’ likely Paris opponent as McIntyre.
Currently, two matches are confirmed for Clash in Paris: John Cena vs. Logan Paul and WWE Women’s World Champion Naomi defending her title against Stephanie Vaquer, who earned the shot by winning the Battle Royale at Evolution PLE. Another potential match is Becky Lynch defending the Women’s Intercontinental Championship against WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella, who recently returned on WWE Raw and confronted the champion.
The event will take place on August 31 at the La Défense Arena in Paris and can be streamed live on Peacock, with the main card starting around 2 PM.
Fan Take: This lineup brings a fresh and thrilling dynamic to WWE, blending established legends like John Cena with crossover stars like Logan Paul, making Clash in Paris an unmissable event. The buildup hints at intense rivalries and high drama, promising to keep WWE fans on the edge of their seats and potentially attracting new audiences to the sport.
