“Please don’t play with me” – Tyrese Haliburton’s greatest fan wish came true as WWE made Brock Lesnar vs John Cena official for Wrestlepalooza

John Cena’s farewell to WWE SmackDown was never going to be quiet, but few expected it to end the way it did. Just as Cena and Sami Zayn delivered a spirited United States Championship match in Chicago, Brock Lesnar stormed the ring and crushed both men.

Minutes later, the cameras cut backstage, and Lesnar sent a chilling message: “Hey John, I’ll see you at Wrestlepalooza b**ch.” WWE wasted no time making the blockbuster showdown official. Indiana Pacers standout Tyrese Haliburton, who has been a longtime WWE fan, took a second to digest his excitement for the highly anticipated matchup.

Brock Lesnar attacks John Cena on SmackDown, Wrestlepalooza match confirmed

The Allstate Arena crowd erupted when Cena accepted Zayn’s challenge in what was billed as his last night on the blue brand.

They traded momentum, with Cena dropping tributes to rivals of the past, Edge, Kurt Angle, and CM Punk, in what felt like a love letter to his career. As Zayn and Cena were fighting and exhausted, Lesnar appeared, flattening Zayn with an F-5 before turning to Cena. Two more F-5s left the 17-time world champion sprawled in the center of the ring.

WWE later confirmed that Cena and Lesnar will headline Wrestlepalooza at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on September 20.

It will be Lesnar’s first match in two years, and their first meeting since the brutal 2012 Extreme Rules clash. With AEW’s All Out set for the same day, WWE is clearly staking its claim with one of the biggest Premium Live Events in years.

Tyrese Haliburton reacts to Brock Lesnar vs John Cena official for Wrestlepalooza

The announcement also lit up social media, especially from Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton. A lifelong WWE fan recovering from an Achilles injury, Haliburton wasted no time posting: “Navy and Gold merch please don’t play w/ me @JohnCena @WWE.”

His crossover with WWE has been building for months. At SummerSlam in August, Haliburton sat ringside on crutches, where New York fans booed him for eliminating the Knicks in the playoffs. He grinned back and shouted, “I love you, too.” Later that night, Cena grabbed one of his crutches mid-match and used it as a weapon against Cody Rhodes. Haliburton laughed it off online, writing: “Smh, all you had to do was ask” before adding, “Sacrificed my crutch for the [goat].

”Also Read: Jimmy Butler shares sweet moment with Carlos Alcaraz in his thunderous backstage appearance at US Open SemifinalsIt is almost certain that Haliburton will make his appearance at the Wrestlepalooza at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on September 20, at least, as a fan. But being a longtime WWE fan and considering the event is happening at his franchise’s town, the emotion in the NBA standout is far more elevated than ever before.