After a few weeks in Europe, the WWE is back in the United States for SmackDown, which is taking place in one of the greatest wrestling cities, Chicago, Illinois. The Second City Saint, CM Punk, is scheduled to appear along with John Cena, who is making his final appearance in Chicago.
WWE’s next premium live event, Wrestlepalooza, is airing on ESPN and has the potential to be a special card. Will John Cena call out Brock Lesnar? Could Cody Rhodes return and get payback on Drew McIntyre? Is an AJ Lee return realistic for this Friday on SmackDown? I break all of that down right here with my three biggest questions leading into WWE SmackDown on September 5.
1. Will the John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar feud resume?
Brock Lesnar returned at WWE SummerSlam on August 3 but hasn’t been seen on WWE programming since. But with John Cena beating Logan Paul at WWE Clash in Paris, will he finally set his sights on the Beast Incarnate? This is the perfect moment for Cena to challenge Lesnar to a match in front of what should be an electric crowd in Chicago.
2. Is AJ Lee actually returning at SmackDown?
Since Becky Lynch put her hands on CM Punk on Monday Night Raw, rumors have been swirling about AJ Lee returning. You can check out my article breaking down Fightful’s reporting on the situation right here.
AJ Lee is the wife of CM Punk, but hasn’t made an appearance for WWE since she retired in 2014. With Seth Rollins teaming up with Lynch to hurt Punk, it is an excellent time for an AJ Lee return. If a mixed tag team match between the two couples could happen at WrestlePalooza, there isn’t much more time to make it happen.
In a now-deleted tweet, the WWE Shop X account responded to a fan’s post hinting at AJ Lee’s return when asked about new merchandise. The WWE Shop account stated, “With AJ Lee’s return to the ring, we are looking to have some fire gear hopefully in time for Wrestlepalooza.”
3. Will Cody Rhodes return?
It’s been nearly a month since Drew McIntyre brutalized WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes, and we haven’t seen him since. A match between the two is inevitable at this point, and WWE’s first PLE on ESPN, Wrestlepalooza, seems like the place to host it. Cody Rhodes is advertised to appear at SmackDown in Chicago on the Allstate Arena’s website.
