John Cena has wrestled for the final time on WWE SmackDown, a brand that Cena was a staple of for much of his wrestling career. In his final encounter on the blue brand, Cena battled United States Champion Sami Zayn in an encounter that saw several throwbacks to John's epic past.
During the match, John delivered a Pop-Up Powerbomb, a nod to his wars with Kevin Owens in 2015. Owens' main-roster debut match would see him beat Cena clean, instantly putting him on the map as someone to take seriously.
Cena would also hit an Angle Slam and an Ankle lock, honoring WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle. John made his SmackDown debut in 2002 by answering Kurt's open challenge, ushering in the 'Ruthless Aggression' era in the process.
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A GTS in honor of CM Punk was fitting given that the show was taking place in Chicago. A spear in the corner was a nod to Edge, considered by many to be John's greatest rival. John delivered a wild-eyed performance, making clear that this was a tribute to the Canadian.
A JBL-inspired Clothesline From Hell would complete John's tributes to his past rivals in his final SmackDown match. With only a handful of days left in his career, it remains to be seen what else Cena pulls out before saying his in-ring farewell.
