John Cena, soon to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, is set to have his final match this weekend on Saturday Night’s Main Event, streaming live from Washington, D.C. Ahead of this milestone, WWE SmackDown will air an exclusive feature celebrating Cena’s remarkable career. Although Cena won’t be appearing at the Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, he will receive special recognition from the SmackDown roster.
Cena first gained fame as “The Prototype” in OVW before making his SmackDown debut in June 2002 by answering Kurt Angle’s open challenge. Declaring himself “ruthless aggressive,” Cena unknowingly marked the beginning of a new WWE era. He later entertained fans with his rapper persona “Dr. Tuganomics” until moving to Raw in June 2005. WWE’s website notes that Friday’s SmackDown episode will revisit key moments from Cena’s career, including his early rapper gimmick, just ahead of his showdown with Gunther on Saturday.
The main event will see Cena face off against “The Ring General,” Gunther. Additionally, the card features exhibition matches where WWE NXT stars will compete against main roster talents—a segment Cena insisted on including after dispelling rumors of his participation in Friday’s show during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.” Highlights include NXT Champion Oba Femi versus Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, Sol Luka against Bayley, and a tag team match for the WWE World Tag Team Championship featuring Leon Slater and Jevon Evans taking on Dragon Lee and AJ Styles.
Fan Take: This special tribute to John Cena on SmackDown symbolizes the end of an era for WWE, celebrating a legend whose influence shaped the sport for over two decades. It’s a pivotal moment for fans and the wrestling world, signaling a transition to new stars while honoring the legacy of one of the industry’s all-time greats.
