WWE SmackDown results and highlights (09/06/2025): John Cena’s final SmackDown, Brock Lesnar appears, AJ Lee returns, and More

The first Friday Night SmackDown since Clash in Paris is here, and the windy City of Chicago serves as the host to one of the most important editions of the show. John Cena is set to make his last appearance on SmackDown tonight, and we might also get to see the return of someone special after a long long time.

The September 5 episode is happening at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois, and it is John Cena himself who starts off the show with his iconic entry.

Opening Segment

John Cena's music starts as the crowd is deafening tonight, what with it being Cena's final appearance in the Blue Brand division. He talks about having fun tonight, as his main priority has always been giving the audience his best all his career. But with this being his last date in Chicago as well as SmackDown, he's just going to take it in.

23 years ago, in this city, on this very show, he came in and slapped Kurt Angle, starting a crazy journey that lasted over two decades.

Now that he is nearing the end of this journey, he wants to thank the crowd - especially the Chicago crowd, who for him, is the greatest crowd ever. He then tells the audience to enjoy the show and bids goodbye before starting to leave. But before he can do that, Sami Zayn makes his entrance. He says it would be wrong if he didn't come out and thank Cena on behalf of everybody in the back for all that he’s done for them.

But more than that, Zayn wants to thank Cena for everything that he's done for him.

It was John Cena he made his debut against all those years ago for the United States Championship, and now he’s standing in the ring as the United States Champion. He wants to introduce the Sami Zayn US Title Open Challenge, in honor of the John Cena US Open Challenge all those years ago. Cena says that's a great idea and thanks him, but before he can take his leave, Zayn says with Cena retiring soon, he wants to give him a United States Championship match tonight.

Cena accepts and calls for a referee. The match is happening right now!

John Cena vs. Sami Zayn (c)

In what is being stated as the United States Championship Open Challenge, John Cena is Sami Zayn's first opponent and the two start the match right away. Cena hits an Attitude Adjustment, but Zayn recovers followed by a corner exploder, but Cena blocks. Cena then hits a pop-up powerbomb, but Zayn still manages to keep up. Cena goes for a back suplex and covers, but Zayn kicks out. There are near fall moments on both sides, but both manage to kick out in time and recover. In the final moments of the segment, it looked like Cena finally had Zayn after an Avalanche Attitude Adjustment, but both men are down. And before Cena can recover and cover Zayn, the Beast Incarnate himself shows up. Brock Lesnar starts by pulling the referee and getting in the ring. He first hits Sani Zayn with an F-5 before throwing him out of the ring.

He then goes for another F-5 on Cena, followed by another, before leaving. Backstage, he calls Cena a b*tch and says he will see him at Wrestlepalooza. The match goes to a no-contest. Backstage, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis meets up with Carmelo Hayes. The Miz shows up as well, demanding a title match. Aldis leaves after saying he will take it into consideration, and fans see Miz and Melo bicker before the camera pans to showing none other than Becky Lynch coming into the arena.

Aleister Black vs. Damian Priest

After their last encounter, Aleister Black and Damian Priest start before the official whistle can blow. Black jumps Priest at the base of the ramp, and sends him over the barricade before the referee can stop him. After the fight is officially underway, Priest stampedes Black into the corner, but the latter responds with a Meteora. He covers but Priest kicks out before the third count. The match continues and we see Priest go for a reverse STO onto the apron.

He clears the announce desk and tries for a Razor's Edge, but it connects with the desk instead. Black begs off, but then ends up laying out Priest with Black Mass to take the win.Aleister Black wins via pinfall.Backstage, we see Tiffany Stratton being interviewed. And then Jade Cargill and Nia Jax go back and forth. We also see Nick Aldis co fronting Becky Lynch on her appearance and tells her he does not want any issues from her, especially with CM Punk in the building.

Giulia vs. Michin

The WWE Women’s United States Championship title is in the line, as Giulia faces challenged Michin, who took out her partner Kiana James in less than 10 seconds during their last fight. Both women are in for it, and Michin starts off with a bang. But Giulia is the Beautiful Madness for a reason. They each trade some headbutts before Giulia lands a German suplex, but Michin goes back and comes up with one of her own. Giulia then goes for a Hammerlock Northern Lights Bomb. Michin then follows with a Light Bomb of her own.

Kiana James tries to run interference, but Michin takes her down. But that's all the distraction Giulia needed and charges at her with an Arrivederci to take the win and retain her championship. Giulia wins via pinfall.Backstage we see a busted up Charlotte Flair, who gets some words of encouragement and friendship from her tag team partner Alexa Bliss. Next up, Seth Rollins is in the building. He greets the crowd and then calla for now other than Intercontinental Champion and his sexy, brilliant, and incredible Irish wife, The Man - Becky Lynch.

The crowd of course chants AJ Lee over and over, as the boos continue for Lynch and Rollins. Lynch dismisses the crowd, and says Chicago, the Bulls, and the audience suck. Just like CM Punk.Of course, this is when CM Punk makes his entry. He gets into the ring and says this is not about Lynch but her coward husband, Seth Rollins. Lynch obviously doesn't take lightly to Punk i sulting her husband. They exchange some cutting words, with Lynch going off in Punk before he says he has a lot of people to call on in here, since he won't lay his hands on a woman. Lynch slaps Punk and butts her head against his chest, calling him an embarrassment to Chicago. Punk gets off the ramp and says while he wont lay his hands on Lynch, he has someone in hos corner who will. AJ Lee is finally here.The crowd goes wild. Lee makes her iconic way down the ramp, skipping through the way. Lynch is scared seeing her and drops her belt. She does a full circuit before finally getting inside the ring and taking a seat in the ropes.

Lynch finally decides to rush at her, but Lee hits her with a double leg followed by grounded punches! The Man tries to run away but Lee grabs her jacket and mat slams her.She then licks her hand and blasts Lynch with a huge slap. Lynch finally slips off the ring and stumbles around the ringside. Seth Rollins runs down the barricade to get to his wife while CM Punk gets back in the ring to his wife, who makes that iconic jump into his arms once again and the show ends with the two couples on the two sides of the stage. Also Read: AJ Lee makes shocking return to WWE after a decade on SmackDown