John Cena WWE

25): Start Time, Match Card

Originally posted on Wrestling on SI | By Rick Ucchino | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 9:46 AM ET

The WWE train keeps rolling right along with Clash in Paris in the rearview mirror and the first-ever Wrestlepalooza just a little over two weeks away.

Friday night's episode of SmackDown has the potential to be can't miss, as WWE will be laying the groundwork for what is reportedly going to be an absolutely stacked Premium Live Event to kick off the ESPN streaming era. And it all starts with John Cena.

It was over 23 years ago when the Never Seen 17-Time World Champion began his WWE journey at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois and Cena will now get his chance to say good-bye to the very venue where he made his impactful debut against Hall of Famer Kurt Angle.

Over 16,000 people will be in attendance to pay their respects to the 'Greatest of All-Time', but the major question heading into the show is whether or not Brock Lesnar will be in the building.

No one has seen nor heard from The Beast, save for one phone call that was made to SmackDown GM Nick Aldis, since his shocking return at SummerSlam. Lesnar dropped the former WWE Champion with an F-5 in front of a stunned New Jersey crowd and left.

John Cena has said whenever Brock wants some, he can come back and get some. It's been rumored that these two long-time rivals will face each other one last time at Wrestlepalooza in Indianapolis, Indiana. Will the build to that final showdown start later tonight?

WWE

WWE can't put on a show at the Allstate Arena and expect the Second City Saint to stay away. CM Punk may be a Raw Superstar, but he's Chicago's favorite son and the self-proclaimed 'Best in the World' has heavily hinted that he will be in the building tonight. And it's possible that he will not be alone.

Punk's rivalry with Seth Rollins has far surpassed its boiling point. After being screwed over yet again at Clash in Paris, the former World Heavyweight Champion has become a powder keg that is rigged to blow, but there's there's now an immovable object obstructing his path to The Visionary.

It was made abundantly clear this past Monday night on Raw that Punk will not put his hands on Becky Lynch, under any circumstances. He has still promised that The Man will regret putting her hands on him and costing him the World Title. Does this mean, what we all think it means? Hopefully we'll all find out tonight.

No matches have been booked for SmackDown, as of this writing, but both Randy Orton and WWE Women's Champion Tiffany Stratton are being advertised for the show.

Check back for updates as more segments are announced throughout the day. Here's everything we currently know about tonight's show in Chicago.