WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - September 5th, 2025

https://i.imgur.com/XOSLTzV.jpeg


John Cena makes his final Chicago appearance tonight

John Cena is rolling into The Windy City one last time. After defeating Logan Paul at WWE Clash in Paris, what's in store for "The Greatest of All Time"?


:smackdown:

– We kick off SmackDown with clips of Damian Priest, Aleister Black, Michin, Giulia & Kiana James, and CM Punk all arriving at the arena or walking backstage.

– Michael Cole & Corey Graves take us back to Clash at Paris and they go over the highlights of the PLE.

– We cut to ringside, and John Cena makes his way out to the ring.

Cena expresses his appreciation for the fans continuing to cheer for him, then says when he had his change of attitude, he was coming off a lot of bad years. He says he's coming to the ring with nothing planned to say, then says he wants to have fun tonight and says Chicago is a special city and special crowd for not being afraid to use their voices to cheer who they love and boo who they don't and says the fans bring certain stars back to WWE.

Cena says this is his last time in Chicago and his final appearance on SmackDown, then says 23 years ago, the fans allowed him to walk down the ramp and answer Kurt Angle's open challenge. He says while talent argue backstage about the best city, there's no argument for him and continues to express his gratitude towards the city. He thanks Chicago and tells them to enjoy the night that they're in for.

Sami Zayn's music hits, and he makes his way out. He tells Cena that he doesn't want to interrupt him and says watching Cena on his Farewell Tour thanking the fans in every city. He thanks Cena on behalf of the SmackDown locker room for all that he's done for them, then thanks Cena for all he's done for him personally. He recalls making his main roster debut against Cena for the United States Championship, then says he's standing in the ring as the current United States Champion. He says he wants to pay it forward the way that Cena did with his US Open Challenge, then says he wants to carry on the tradition and introduce the Sami Zayn US Open Challenge with Cena's permission. Cena says he thinks it's a great idea and looks to leave.

Zayn stops Cena, and says if it's his last SmackDown or change he gets to share a ring with Cena, then it would be his honor to pay Cena back with a shot at the United States Championship tonight. He tells Cena that if he wants some, then he can come and get some before he extends his hand to Cena. Cena accepts Zayn's challenge and shakes his hand.

:ustitle:

WWE United States Championship Match: Sami Zayn (c) vs. John Cena

Back from the break, the bell has rung and Zayn lands an arm drag on Cena. He runs him over with a shoulder tackle, then whips him into the corner before himself and Cena level one another with clotheslines.

During the break, Cena gets Zayn up for an Attitude Adjustment, but Zayn escapes and counters into a DDT. Zayn delivers a double ax handle off the middle rope to Cena, but Cena responds with a Five Knuckle Shuffle to Zayn and gets him up for an Attitude Adjustment. Zayn escapes and lands a Blue Thunder Bomb on Cena.

Cena gets Zayn up for another Attitude Adjustment back from the break, but Zyan escapes. Cena gets Zayn back up on his shoulders and delivers an Attitude Adjustment to him, then goes for a pin but Zayn kicks out. Zayn sets up for an Exploder on Cena, but Cena avoids it and catches Zayn with a pop-up powerbomb.

Zayn sends Cena crashing into the ring post shoulder first, but Cena watches Zayn with a modified Angle Slam. Cena cinches in an Ankle Lock on Zayn during another commercial break, then transitions into a STF. Zayn escapes and delivers an Attitude Adjustment of his own to Cena and sets up for the Helluva Kick, but Cena catches Zayn with an Attitude Adjustment. Zayn delivers an Exploder and a Helluva Kick to Cena, then goes for a pin but Cena kicks out.

Cena catches Zayn with a GTS and goes for a pin, but Zayn kicks out. Cena then delivers a spear to Zayn before getting him back up on his shoulders and landing an Attitude Adjustment on Zayn off the middle rope.

Brock Lesnar's music hits, and he makes his way to the ring. He pulls the referee out of the ring, then lands a F5 on Zayn and two more to Cena to cause the match to be thrown out.

Winner: No Contest (due to outside interference)

– Lesnar smiles and poses in the ring as he looks at the carnage he's left behind. Lesnar grabs Cena and hits another F5 on Cena. Lesnar leaves the ring and poses against the ring. Lesnar laughs at Cena before making his exit.

– We come back from a break, Brock Lesnar is seen walking out of the arena and says he'll see John Cena at Wrestlepalooza.

– Nick Aldis walks backstage and Carmelo Hayes and The Miz ask him for their shot. Hayes tells The Miz he wants to speak for himself and get himself a title shot. We cut to the loading area and Becky Lynch comes out of a car and walks into the building.

– A video package for Aleister Black plays where he calls out Damian Priest.

– Damian Priest then makes his way to the ring. Aleister Black attacks him on the entrance ramp.

Damian Priest vs. Aleister Black

Priest and Black continue brawling on the outside, and Black sends Priest crashing into the ring post.

Back from the break, the pair get in the ring and the bell sounds. Black fires off a right hand on Priest, then lands a Hammer and Anvil style elbow on him before he tangles him up in a submission hold. Priest escapes, but Black runs him over with a knee strike and wears him down with a submission hold. Black catches Priest with another knee strike, but Priest trips Black on the ropes as he ascends up them and sets up for Razor's Edge. Black escapes and rocks Priest with an elbow, then levels him with an enzuigiri and goes for a pin. Priest kicks out.

Priest rocks Black with a pair of forearms, then lands a splash on him in the corner. Black catches Priest with a boot, but Priest levels Black with a right hand and follows it up with a crossbody off the top rope. Priest delivers a Flatliner to Black on the ring apron and clears the announce desk, then lands a Razor's Edge to him on top of the announce desk. He dumps Black back in the ring, but Black calls for a time out. Priest decides against listening to him, then sets up for South Of Heaven to Priest. Black grabs onto the referee to avoid the move, then lands a Black Mass on Priest for the win.

Winner: Aleister Black

– A video package airs with separate interviews with Drew McIntyre and Randy Orton play intertwined with each other. They both tell the other how they'll destroy the other.

– Cathy Kelley talks to Tiffany Stratton about her match against Jade Cargill. Stratton says Cargill talks a lot and makes false promises. Stratton says she'll have her foot up Cargill's...

We see Jade Cargill watching the interview on the screen. Nia Jax comes in and makes fun of Cargill and they get in each other's faces.

– Becky Lynch is texting backstage. Nick Aldis comes by and tells Lynch that he didn't expect her to be here and he doesn't want her causing any issues.

:womensuschamp:

WWE Women's United States Championship Match: Giulia (c) w/Kiana James vs. Michin

The bell rings and Michin fires off right hands on Giulia. She sends Giulia crashing out of the ring through the middle rope and looks to land a baseball slide on her, but Giulia delivers a hanging neckbreaker to Michin off the ring apron.

Giulia rains down right forearms and left forearms on Michin, then sends her crashing into the mat face first and lands a pair of kicks on her spine She cinches in Rings of Saturn on her during the break, but Michin escapes, then lands a German suplex on Giulia.

Giulia and Michin level one another with kicks to each other's heads back from the break, then delivers a cannonball to her in the corner and goes for a pin. Giulia kicks out, then delivers a Northern Lights Bomb to Michin and goes for a pin. Michin kicks out.

James hops up on the apron, but Michin sends her crashing into the middle rope with a hurricanrana. She turns around into the Arrivederci from Giulia, who then pins her for the win.

Winner and STILL WWE Women's United States Champion: Giulia

– After the match Michin is beaten down by James and Giulia.

– Charlotte Flair is in medical and Alexa Bliss comes by and pretends to play doctor. Flair says they need revenge on Alba Fyre and Chelsea Green. Bliss tells Flair to rest and they'll get revenge later.

– Back in the arena, Seth Rollins' music hits, and he appears in the crowd.

Rollins says Chicago is a witness to history because the legend of CM Punk will die tonight. He says here to do the honors is his wife Becky Lynch, and introduces her.

Lynch's music hits and she makes her way to the ring. Fans chant for AJ Lee, but Lynch tells them how dare they chant someone else's name as she stands in the ring. She says she's the greatest female wrestler of all time, then says other people say it too besides her including Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. She says she wouldn't expect Chicago to understand what greatness looks like with their bad sports teams, then says CM Punk also sucks.

Punk's music hits, and he makes his way out. He tells Lynch that it's not about her, but her coward of her husband who's hiding in the crowd. Lynch tells Punk it is about her and asks if he's embarrassed to show his face in Chicago, but Punk says he has nothing to be embarrassed unlike Rollins who is hiding behind everyone else. He gives Lynch the chance to leave since it has nothing to do with her.

Lynch mocks Punk by asking how his face and pride is doing as fans chant for Lee once again, but Punk tells Lynch that they will let the fans chant for Lee. He says they're in Chicago, then says he can have anyone including one of his sisters to beat down Lynch. Lynch says she'll beat anyone down as Punk continues running down a list of people he can call including Rhea Ripley.

Lynch slaps Punk repeatedly and asks what Punk can do about it, but Punks hops out of the ring as Lynch continues mocking Punk. She calls him an embarrassment to Chicago, but Punk tells Lynch that this is the situation he wanted to avoid. He says he would never put his hands on a lady, but he has someone who will.

Lee's music hits, and she makes her way to the ring. She gets inside with Lynch, then tackles her and rains down right hands on her. She lands a hair whip on her into the mat, then fires off more right hands on her and slaps Lynch. She sends Lynch crashing out of the ring and hugs Punk, with the pair standing tall as the show goes off the air.