SmackDown celebrates John Cena's career one night before his final match

Take a special look at John Cena's incredible career just 24 hours before The Greatest of All Time competes in his final match against Gunther at Saturday Night's Main Event.




— The show kicks off with a video recapping Nick Aldis sending Drew McIntyre home at the top of tonight's show last Friday, as well as what subsequently happened with Cody Rhodes.

— Michael Cole and Corey Graves greet audiences at home.

— We then head backstage, where Rhodes runs into Aldis. Aldis informs Rhodes that McIntyre has sent a legal letter claiming an unsafe working environment and tells Rhodes he's planning on visiting McIntyre's home later this week. Rhodes takes the letter and crumples it up, then heads out to the ring.

Rhodes asks Wilkes-Barre what they want to talk about, then says they could talk about Drew McIntyre. He addresses McIntyre claiming an unsafe working environment, then says that there's a reason McIntyre isn't mingling with anything in the back. He says he's not afraid of McIntyre and says he would fire McIntyre if he were the boss. He promises to beat down McIntyre.

Oba Femi's music hits, and he makes his way out. Femi stares down Rhodes in the ring, and Rhodes responds by handing Femi a microphone. He says Rhodes is all fired up tonight, but he's worried about the wrong guy. He says McIntyre is not here, but the top guy in "NXT" is and he formally introduces himself to both Rhodes and the main roster audience. He says he's here knocking on Rhodes' front door to tell him that the future is now, then says while Rhodes' time is up, his is now.

Rhodes says he's glad Femi looks up to John Cena, but reminds Femi he beat John Cena for the Undisputed WWE Championship. He looks to leave, but Femi grabs Rhodes' arm and holds up the NXT Championship belt. Rhodes holds up the Undisputed WWE Championship belt and stares down Femi before he heads to the back.

— Aleister Black & Zelina, Damian Priest & Rhea Ripley, Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair, and Nia Jax & Lash Legend are all shown walking backstage.

— Ilja Dragunov is walking backstage. Fraxiom stops him, Nathan Frazer says they have his back and Axiom agrees. Dragunov says thanks but no thanks and he will beat Tommaso Ciampa on his own.


WWE United States Championship Match: Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. Tommaso Ciampa

The bell rings and the two lock up. Dragunov and Ciampa exchange forearm strikes, chops, and slaps with one another, but Dragunov levels Ciampa with a jumping boot.

Dragunov sets up for a Torpedo Moskau on Ciampa on the outside of the ring, but Ciampa sees Dragunov coming and sends him crashing into the ring steps. He follows it up with a suplex into the ring steps.

During the commercial break, Ciampa fires off chops on Dragunov in the corner of the ring. He begins targeting Dragunov's knee and rocks him with a knee to Dragunov's face back from the break. Dragunov responds with a German suplex to Ciampa and rains down Hammer and Anvil elbows on him, then ascends to the top rope. Ciampa joins Dragunov up there and trips him with a kick to his injured knee, then connects with an Air Raid Crash to him on the ring apron. He pins Dragunov back in the ring, but Dragunov kicks out.

Dragunov delivers a missile dropkick to the back of Ciampa's head off the ropes, then lands a knee on his face during another commercial break and sends him crashing into the mat once again with a suplex. Ciampa and Dragunov then exchange more strikes with one another, but Ciampa delivers a second Air Raid Crash to Dragunov off the middle rope back from the break. Ciampa pins Dragunov, but Dragunov kicks out. Ciampa then delivers a German suplex to Dragunov, but Dragunov immediately responds with a Torpedo Moskau.

Johnny Gargano runs down to the ring and hops up on the apron to distract the referee. Candice LeRae appears on the other side and takes a cheap shot at Dragunov, opening the door for Ciampa to land a running knee on Dragunov and pin him. Dragunov kicks out and rolls up Ciampa for the win.

Winner and STILL United States Champion: Ilja Dragunov

— After the match, Gargano and Ciampa attack Dragunov. Carmelo Hayes runs out and takes out both Gargano and Ciampa. Hayes helps Dragunov to his feet.

— Cathy Kelley is backstage with Je'Von Evans and she asks him about his thoughts on his match tomorrow. The Miz comes in and says Kelley should be interviewing him for his match, but he doesn't have one. Evans calls The Miz "Unc" and The Miz is pissed. Evans says if The Miz wants a match tonight that he's ready. The Miz says he'll go to Aldis and get this match made, and calls Evans "Nephew."

— A quick video splash of the Wyatt Sicks plays.

— The Wyatt Sicks then make their way to the ring.

Uncle Howdy says Solo Sikoa tried discrediting him and his family last week, but questions who he is to cast judgment. He says the reality is that Sikoa's real family has all turned their backs on him, then says Sikoa uses those he claims to love. He says Sikoa is disillusioned and out of his mind saying that MFT runs "SmackDown", then reminds MFT that The Wyatt Sicks have the WWE Tag Team Championship. He dares Sikoa and the rest of MFT to come get the WWE Tag Team Championship.

Sikoa's music hits, but no one appears. MFT instead appears on the Titan Tron, and Sikoa tells Talla Tonga, Tonga Loa, JC Mateo, and Tama Tonga to look at the freaks in the ring. He says Uncle Howdy doesn't call the shots around here because he does, then says The Wyatt Sicks like to appear in the shadows to attack his family. He says MFT is coming to take the WWE Tag Team Championship away from The Wyatt Sicks next Friday, then tells Uncle Howdy to hand over the WWE Tag Team Championship because the only thing he can do is run.

— We then head over to a video, where Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Snoop Dogg, Jelly Roll, and Jimmy Fallon are among a handful of celebrities to wish Cena luck in his final ever match tomorrow night.

— Charlotte Flair braids Alexa Bliss' hair backstage and pumps up Bliss for her match. She tells Bliss will win against Lash Legend and then they'll focus on winning the tag team titles back. Rhea Ripley walks up and says she and Iyo Sky are next in line for the tag titles. Bliss tells Ripley that they're not stepping aside for anyone and Ripley wishes Bliss luck in her match.

— Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair then make their way to the ring. Lash Legend and Nia Jax follow.

Lash Legend (w/ Nia Jax) vs. Alexa Bliss (w/ Charlotte Flair)

The bell rings and Legend looks to land a running boot on Bliss straight out of the gate. Bliss ducks out of the way and sends Legend out of the ring, then looks to deliver a senton to her. Legend catches Bliss and sends her crashing into the barricade, then levels her with a clothesline and sends her crashing into the mat face first.

Legend connects with a standing splash on Bliss, but Bliss looks to respond with a crossbody on her off the middle rope. Legend catches Bliss, but Bliss takes out Legend with a Tornado DDT. Legend then delivers the Lash Minute as Flair takes out Jax on the outside. Legend runs over Flair, then connects with the Lash Extension on Bliss for the win.

Winner: Lash Legend

— We head over to the announce desk, where Michael Cole confirms that SmackDown will be returning to it's three hour format, effective on the first SmackDown of 2026 on January 2.

— Zelina and Aleister Black walk backstage. Cathy Kelley asks for their thoughts. Zelina says Priest is lost and doesn't know himself.

— The Miz makes his way to the ring. Je'Von Evans follows.

Je'Von Evans vs. The Miz

The bell rings and Evans levels Miz with a dropkick. He follows it up with a springboard hurricanrana to Miz, but Miz catches Evans with a knee to his midsection on the outside of the ring. Evans responds with a springboard moonsault to Miz and dumps him in the ring, but Miz rains down Hammer and Anvil elbows on Evans and wears him down with a submission hold.

Miz fires off a stomp on Evans and uses the middle rope to wrench back on his arm, then sends his injured arm bouncing off his shoulder and lands a kick on his mouth during the commercial breka. Evans trips Miz and connects with a standing splash on him, then goes for a pin but Miz kicks out. Miz then whips Evans into the corner of the ring.

Back from the break, Miz has a crossface cinched in on Evans. Evans breaks free and looks to fly off the top rope, but Miz moves out of the way and sends Evans crashing into the mat. Evans then catches Miz with the OG Cutter for the win.

Winner: Je'Von Evans

— Rhea Ripley stretches backstage. Nia Jax and Lash Legend come in and ask her if they saw what they did to Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair. Ripley tells them she's not a problem they want and she doesn't do well with threats. She tells Jax and Legend that when she and Iyo Sky want their shot they'll take it. Damian Priest walks by and tells her to not focus on Jax and Legend but to bring that energy to Zelina. Priest leaves and Jade Cargill walks by and she and Ripley stare each other down and Cargill heads to the ring for her match against Michin which is next.

Michin walks backstage and calls out Jade Cargill. She tells Cargill she's coming for her and Jade Cargill attacks Michin. Cargill throws Michin into the sets backstage and lays her out. Cargill tells them to hit her music and she makes her way out to the ring. Cargill tells production to cut her music and says anyone can step up to her and get stepped on. She says she's that bitch and Michin's music hits and she comes down with a Kendo Stick. Michin starts beating Cargill with a Kendo Stick and then brings a table out from under the ring. Cargill hits Michin with a pump kick and then puts the table back under the ring. Michin punches Cargill in the ring, and Cargill chokeslams Michin to the mat. Cargill talks smack to Michin and then leaves the ring with her belt.

— Aleister Black and Zelina Vega then make their way to the ring. Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest follow.

Aleister Black & Zelina vs. The Terror Twins (Damian Priest & Rhea Ripley)

The bell rings and Black wastes no time firing off strikes on Priest in the corner. Priest whips Black into the corner and returns the favor, then dumps him out of the ring and tags in Ripley.

Vega gets in the ring and jumps on Priest's spine, then rocks Ripley with a forearm. Ripley levels Vega with a pair of clotheslines, but Vega cinches in a submission hold on Ripley. Ripley escapes and levels Vega with another clothesline, then fires off shoulders on her in the corner during the commercial break. Vega responds by sending Ripley crashing into the ring post shoulder first and wears down Ripley with a submission hold. She then delivers a pair of knees to Ripley's left arm, then fires off right hands on it.

Back from the break, Vega connects with a meteora on Ripley off the middle rope as the live crowd starts loudly chanting for Ripley. Ripley drives Vega into the mat spine first, then tags in Priest.

Black gets in the ring, and Priest catches him with an elevated flatliner. He follows it up with an elbow to Black in the corner and a Broken Arrow, then goes for a pin but Black kicks out. Vega jumps on Priest's spine once again, opening the door for Black to deliver a jumping knee and a German suplex to Priest.

Ripley and Vega tag in, and Ripley sets up for Rip Tide on Vega. Vega counters into a Code Red on Ripley, but Vega then rolls up Ripley. Ripley kicks out and lands a Razor's Edge on Vega as Priest delivers one of his own to Back. Ripley then follows it up with a Rip Tide to Vega and pins her for the win.

Winners: Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest

— The Terror Twins celebrate in the ring as the show goes off the air.