Logan Paul Mistake Forced WWE to Air Two Versions of John Cena Segment

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio G Losada | Last updated Aug 24, 2025 6:30 AM ET

Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown in Dublin ended with a dramatic backstage exchange involving John Cena and Logan Paul.

Fans watching on different platforms and from countries, however, were shown two slightly different versions of the same segment.

After the women’s tag team main event, Cena was confronted backstage by SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis, who teased that he had “just heard from Brock Lesnar.”

Before Aldis could continue, Logan Paul entered the frame to ambush Cena. What followed, however, quickly became one of the most talked-about production mishaps of WWE’s recent history.

WWE had two different versions of the ending of #Smackdown tonight. In the Netflix version that aired live, Paul's punch to Cena misses, as you can see Cena pull his head back early. In the USA version Logan came in from a different angle & the audio of Aldis was captured better. pic.twitter.com/43h2MiAz0R
— PWUnlimited (@PWUnlimited) August 23, 2025

Logan Paul’s Punch Misses, Fans Notice Immediately

In the original version that aired on Netflix internationally, with this particular SmackDown event taking place in Ireland, Paul’s attempted right-hand punch missed Cena by a visible margin.

The moment was meant to sell a shocking attack amid the Paul-Cena feud leading up to their scheduled match at Clash in Paris on Aug. 31, but it clearly fell flat.

U.S. viewers tuning in on USA Network, however, saw a different take on the segment. In order to avoid falling for a similar mistake, WWE’s production team reshot the segment, editing in a cleaner punch from a partially-covered angle that made Cena's landing of it much more natural and, by extension, believable.

The two broadcasts—one showing the botched take, the other a polished redo—circulated side by side on social media, fueling debate about Paul’s in-ring credibility and performing skills.

Fallout Before John Cena and Logan Paul Meet at Clash In Paris

The reshoot capped an already heated night between Cena and Paul that kept adding layers to their ongoing war of words.

Earlier in the show, the two exchanged sharp words in front of the Dublin crowd, with Cena calling Paul a “parasite” who is only interested in exploiting WWE for his own profit.

Paul, who a few days ago said he is "disappointed" with Cena's character shifts, fired back on the stage by shoving Cena before being dropped with an Attitude Adjustment by the 17-time champion.

Cena's appearance at Clash in Paris will bring his farewell tour and remaining in-ring shows down to six, barring new announcements, with his retirement match booked for Dec. 13.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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