Friday’s WWE SmackDown had a ton of hype before the event, and it delivered everything you could want and more. John Cena began the night by thanking the Chicago crowd and challegend Sami Zayn for the United States Championship in his final appearance on SmackDown. Brock Lesnar crashed the party, hit Zayn and Cena with an F5, and officially challenged Cena to a match at Wrestlepalooza.
At the end of SmackDown, AJ Lee made her long-awaited return to WWE and joined her husband, CM Punk, to combat Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch’s attack on the Second City Saint. I break down those big moments and more down below.
AJ Lee comes to CM Punk’s aid against Becky Lynch
It was teased in the past week that AJ Lee could finally return to the WWE after 10 years. Right when SmackDown began, there were AJ Lee chants throughout the show, and those intensified when Lynch and Punk entered the ring at the end of the show.
A mixed tag team match between Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch vs. CM Punk and AJ Lee hasn’t been made official yet for Wrestlepalooza, but it seems like it will be added to that card in the near future. AJ Lee’s last match in WWE was on Monday Night Raw on March 30, 2015. The entire audience in Chicago expected Lee to come out, but the moment her music played and she came out, it met all previous expectations.
Brock Lesnar returns and F5s John Cena once again
Brock Lesnar returned after a three-year absence at WWE SummerSlam on August 3. Ever since SummerSlam, everyone has been wondering when the Beast Incarnate will come back and be a more regular figure on WWE television. As always, when Lesnar’s music hit, the crowd erupted in Chicago.
Lesnar walked back through the curtain and was adamant that a match be made for Wrestlepalooza against Cena, and his wish was quickly granted. This will be the first singles match between Lesnar and Cena since WWE Night of Champions 2014.
Check out the full recap of the John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar rivalry throughout their careers.
Wrestlepalooza is shaping up to be an unbelievable card
So far, the two official matches for Wrestlepalooza feature a Women’s Championship match and a singles match between two storied rivals.
Vacant Women’s World Championship Match
Iyo Sky vs. Stephanie Vaquer
Men’s Singles Match
John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar
After WWE SmackDown, there is one more match that is expected to be added to the card. Although it doesn’t have championship gold on the line, the historic rivalry between Rollins and Punk has added a new twist with the addition of their wives.
Mixed Tag Team Match
CM Punk & AJ Lee vs. Seth Rollins & Becky Lynch
