WWE SmackDown Results (9/5/25): John Cena Bids Farewell To Chicago

WWE SmackDown Results 9/5/25
Allstate Arena
Chicago, Illinois

You can follow me on Twitter @TheHootsPodcast

Commentators: (Michael Cole & Corey Graves) 

Ring Announcer: Mark Nash

Transcription by Josh Lopez

John Cena & Sami Zayn Segment 

John Cena: You guys have no idea what that means, coming from Chicago, I mean it, thank you so much. I see people jumping around the scoreboard from limited view seats over there, just to stand on their feet, and be part of a special night here in Chicago. I remember when this Farewell Tour started, all of my peers, and everyone I was associated with, the thing I kept hearing was, enjoy this, be present, and have fun. But you got to understand, I was coming off a lot of bad years, and I really needed to get my mojo back. So, I focused on doing great work, giving you my heart and soul, and leaving it all in the ring, every single night on this Farewell Tour. The reason I say that is because I come out and stand out here in front of you tonight with absolutely nothing planned, because tonight I wanted to have fun. For over half of this tour, I’ve given you everything that I have. I’ve had to overcome hurdles, roadblocks, and pivots, and you’ve been with me every step of the way, but tonight I’m just going to take it in.

It’s not a familiar sound for me in this building. You see these two guys right here, that’s what all of y’all used to look like, right there. When I came out here, I used to see 14,000 people looking like that. Not saying, Thank You Cena, maybe something different. I don’t know, FU Cena, you can fill in the blanks. But that is what makes this night special, that’s what makes this city special, that’s what makes this building special, that’s what makes you people special. You are not afraid to use your voice, you are not afraid to cheer for the ones you love, even if they’re not here. Hell, you bring people back to the WWE, and you know what I’m talking about. Boy, are we in for one exciting night, tonight, are we not? This is my last time in the city of Chicago.

This is my last time to ever appear on SmackDown. I view it as a beautiful moment, because 23 years ago, in this very city, you allowed me on SmackDown to walk down this ramp, in my skimpy little tights, slap Kurt Angle in the face, and start this crazy ride that we’ve been for over two decades. I’ve had WrestleMania matches with Triple H in this building. I’ve had US Open Challenge Matches in this building. This is the building where I might have finished 2nd place in a world title match, and the title ended up in CM Punk’s refrigerator, right here in Chicago. This place is special, man. There is an argument about what is the greatest crowd in the WWE? On the inside track, with the WWE Superstars, there’s an argument. In my mind, there is no argument. You guys allowed me to start here. I’m very, very thankful, because you kept me honest, you made sure I gave my all, you let me to experience failure, you let me experience humility. And for the last time, when I really needed it the most, you let me experience joy. That’s the Chicago way. I don’t have any other words, I just wanted to say, thank you so much for a beautiful end. Enjoy a hell of a night, tonight.

Sami Zayn: John, hear me out, I’m not here to interrupt. I just want to tell you, watching you this last year on this Retirement Tour, getting your opportunity to thank the fans in all these cities.

John Cena: Yo, yo, it is happy hour in Chicago, and I’m here for the boos, thank you very much.

Sami Zayn: Look, I just wanted to come out here to tell you, it would feel wrong to come out here, and not look you in the eyes, on your last night of SmackDown, and tell you, thank you on behalf of all of us back there, for everything you’ve done for us. And not only that, but a little bit more specifically, I want to look you in the eye, and I want to say, thank you for everything you did for me. Because I know your own having your full circle moment right now. You debut in Chicago, and now it’s your last SmackDown ever here in Chicago. For me, I made my debut against John Cena for the US Championship, and now I’m standing in the middle of this ring as US Champion. I think of the John Cena US Open Challenge, and everything it did, for not just me, but for what it did for so many young talent, and I want to pay it forward. John, want to pay it forward the way you paid it forward, the way you carried this title, with dignity, with honor, as an opportunity for other talent to try to showcase, I want to do that. So, with your permission, John, I would love to carry on the tradition and introduce, The Sami Zayn US Title Open Challenge, with your permission.

John Cena: A fighting champion, giving underrated superstars an opportunity. A Sami Zayn US Open Challenge, man, I think that’s a great idea. Thank you very much, I appreciate it.

Sami Zayn: Thank you, John. But John, wait, don’t leave so quick. 10 years ago, I barely had one foot in the door when you gave me this opportunity, and now I clearly see that you have one foot out the door. But John, if tonight is your last SmackDown, and if tonight is the last chance I ever get to share the ring with you, then it would be my honor to pay you back and give you what you gave me ten years ago, and that is a shot at the US Championship. Now, John, I’m not saying we do it in a month, I’m not saying we do it next week, I’m saying we do it in Chicago, and we do it, right now. Hey, to quote the greatest of all-time, John Cena, if you want some, come get some.

John Cena: You want to have a US Championship Match with me, right here, right now? What the hell, you’re on. Let’s get a referee.

First Match: Sami Zayn (c) vs. John Cena For The WWE United States Championship 

This match started during the commercial break. Cena whips Zayn across the ring. Cena drops Zayn with a shoulder tackle. Collar and Elbow Tie Up. Cena with a wrist lock takedown. Cena transitions into a side headlock. Zayn whips Cena across the ring. Zayn drops down on the canvas. Zayn leapfrogs over Cena. Zayn with a deep arm-drag. Zayn applies an arm-bar. Zayn grabs a side wrist lock. Cena whips Zayn across the ring. Cena drops down on the canvas. Cena leapfrogs over Zayn. Cena with a deep arm-drag of his own. Cena applies an arm-bar. Cena grabs a side headlock. Cena sends Zayn across the ring. Zayn springboards off the ropes. Zayn clotheslines Cena for a two count. Zayn with a Vertical Suplex for a two count. Cena responds with a Counter Vertical Suplex. Zayn side steps Cena into the turnbuckles. Zayn repeatedly whips Cena back first into the turnbuckles. Cena with a reverse hammer throw into the turnbuckles. Both guys are knocked down after a double clothesline. Zayn blocks The Attitude Adjustment. Zayn kicks Cena in the gut. Zayn drops Cena with The DDT for a two count.

Zayn with forearm shivers. Zayn with a flying double axe handle strike for a two count. Cena ducks a clothesline from Zayn. Cena with two diving shoulder tackles. Cena with a Spinning Side Slam. Cena plays to the crowd. Cena delivers The Five Knuckle Shuffle. Cena goes for The Attitude Adjustment, but Zayn lands back on his feet. Zayn ducks a clothesline from Cena. Zayn hits The Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. Zayn applies a front face lock. Zayn fights out of the fireman’s carry position. Zayn kicks Cena in the gut. Zayn goes for The Lucha Libre Arm-Drag, but Cena counters with The Attitude Adjustment for a two count. Cena blocks The Exploder Suplex. Cena kicks Zayn in the gut. Cena whips Zayn across the ring. Cena with The Pop Up PowerBomb for a two count. Zayn sends Cena shoulder first into the steel ring post.

Zayn goes for The Helluva Kick, but Cena ducks out of the way. Cena drops Zayn with The Angle Slam for a two count. Cena and Zayn are trading back and forth shots. Double Clothesline. Cena applies The Ankle Lock. Zayn repeatedly kicks the left shoulder of Cena. Cena applies The STF. Zayn refuses to quit. Zayn kicks Cena towards the corner. Zayn drops Cena with The Attitude Adjustment for a two count. Zayn goes for The Helluva Kick, but Cena counters with The Attitude Adjustment for a two count. Zayn with The Exploder Suplex into the turnbuckles. Zayn connects with The Helluva Kick for a two count. Zayn is completely shocked. Zayn drags Cena to the corner. Zayn ascends to the top turnbuckle. Zayn dives over Cena. Cena nails Zayn with The GTS for a two count. Cena channels his inner Edge. Cena Spears Zayn for a two count. Zayn blocks The RKO. Cena with an Inside Out Lariat. Cena puts Zayn on the top turnbuckle. Zayn with repeated back elbow smashes. Cena hits The Avalanche Attitude Adjustment. Brock Lesnar’s music hits. Brock yanks the referee out of the ring. Brock delivers Three F5’s, one to Zayn, two to Cena. Brock decided to walk away. The match concluded in a no-contest.

Match Result: No-Contest, But Still WWE United States Champion, Sami Zayn 

– Coming out of the commercial break, we see Brock Lesnar walking through the gorilla position. Brock says that he’ll see John Cena at WWE Wrestlepalooza.

– Nick Aldis was on his way to go check on John Cena. He got cut off by Carmelo Hayes and The Miz. Melo wants a shot at the United States Championship. Miz wants them to have another crack at the WWE Tag Team Titles. Nick says that he’ll take those suggestions into consideration. Melo doesn’t know why Miz continues to act like this, he can speak for himself, and he doesn’t want a tag team title match. We see Becky Lynch arrive to the Allstate Arena.

– Aleister Black Vignette.

Second Match: Damain Priest vs. Aleister Black 

Black attacks Priest during his entrance. Black with rapid fire haymakers. Priest shoves Black. Priest rocks Black with a forearm smash. Priest throws Black into the ringside barricade. Black drives Priest back first into the steel ring steps. Black drops Priest with a Pump Knee Strike. Priest spills into the crowd. Black poses for the crowd. Priest is receiving medical attention. Priest still wants to fight. Black repeatedly stomps on Priest’s back and chest. Priest yanks Black out of the ring. Black with The Roundhouse Kick. Black rolls Priest back into the ring. The referee checks on Priest in the corner. The bell finally rings. Black with a forearm smash. Black with a Mid-Kick. Black follows that with heavy bodyshots in the corner. Black kicks the left shoulder of Priest. Black hammers down on the back of Priest’s neck. Priest fires back with a nasty forearm smash. Black appies The Octopus Stretch. Black with The Sunset Flip for a two count. Black kicks the left hamstring of Priest. Priest drives Black back first into the turnbuckles. Priest blocks a boot from Black. Black with a knee lift. Black drops Priest with The Flying Meteora for a two count. Black has complete control of the match during the commercial break.

Black ascends to the top turnbuckle. Priest sweeps out the legs of Black. Priest goes for The Razor’s Edge, but Black lands back on his feet. Black denies The South Of Heaven Chokeslam. Black with a Discus Back Elbow Smash. Black with a Running Pump Knee Strike for a two count. Priest pie faces Black. Priest with forearm shivers. Black kicks Priest in the face. Priest side steps Black into the turnbuckles. Priest with a diving clothesline. Priest with a series of forearm shivers. Priest delivers his combination offense. Priest with The Rolling Elbow. Priest scores the elbow knockdown. Priest with a Leaping Back Elbow Smash. Black responds with a Running Boot. Priest drops Black with a leaping shoulder block. Priest applies a wrist lock. Priest with The Old School Crossbody Block. Black regroups on the outside. Priest with The Flatliner onto the ring apron. Priest clears the announce table. Priest hits The Razor’s Edge on the announce table. Priest rolls Black back into the ring. Black begs for mercy. Priest goes for The South Of Heaven, but Black holds onto the referee’s shirt. Black shoves the referee into Priest. Black connects with The Black Mass to pickup the victory.

Winner: Aleister Black via Pinfall 

– Brock Lesnar will be LIVE on SmackDown next week in Norfolk, Virginia. Plus, Tiffany Stratton will put her WWE Women’s Championship on the line against Jade Cargill.

– Cathy Kelley had a backstage interview with Tiffany Stratton. What’s her response to Jade Cargill saying that she would’ve been champion if Tiffany didn’t have her foot on the bottom rope at WWE SummerSlam? Jade says a lot of things, and while Tiffany likes the sound of her own voice, Jade loves to run her mouth. All that talk ends next week when Tiffany retains. Jade won’t have to worry about Tiffany’s foot being on the bottom rope, because her foot is going to be stuck in her eye of the storm.

– Nia Jax says that Jade Cargill doesn’t deserve to be the number one contender. Jade says that after she beats up the blow-up barbie, she’ll give Nia a title shot. Until then, Jade tells Nia to get out of her face, or she can catch these hands. Nia responds by saying, we’ll see about that and walks away.

Randy Orton & Drew McIntyre Segment 

Randy Orton: Drew McIntyre.

Drew McIntyre: Randy Orton.

Randy Orton: You’d think a man that’s been around here long enough to see what I’m truly capable of would quit while he’s ahead and shut his damn mouth.

Drew McIntyre: I want to make one thing perfectly clear; I don’t give a damn what anybody thinks about me. I always tell the truth and I do what needs to be done. And the truth is, you’re just mad, you’re not willing to pull the trigger when it counts, but I am.

Randy Orton: It’s like you think have some kind of superpower, and you can read people’s minds, and you tell people what they’re thinking. Well, you don’t, and trust me, if you did, you would not want to know what the voices are saying. You have no idea what’s coming for you.

Drew McIntyre: The winds of change are blowing through WWE. The future is being written, and you won’t be a part of it. The WWE needs a real man, like, me, Drew McIntyre.

Randy Orton: I’m gonna knock you back into reality when I hit you with the three most dangerous letters of sports entertainment, RKO.

– Becky Lynch gives Nick Aldis a big hug in his office. Nick wasn’t aware that Becky was going to be here tonight. He’s dealing with a lot tonight, we’re in Chicago, Becky knows that CM Punk is in the building, but he can’t have any more issues tonight, are we clear? Becky says that she never causes issues. Becky tells Nick that she’ll give him some space.

– Chicago Bulls PG Coby White is in the house.

Third Match: Giulia (c) w/Kiana James vs. Michin For The WWE Women’s United States Championship 

Forearm Exchange. Michin with heavy bodyshots. Michin with a chop/forearm combination in the corner. Michin repeatedly stomps on Giulia’s chest. Giulia regroups on the outside. Michin slams Giulia’s head on the ring apron. Michin gets distracted by James. Michin dodges The Big Boot. Michin ducks a clothesline from Giulia. Michin dropkicks Giulia. Giulia reverses out of the irish whip from Michin. Michin does the spider man pose in the ropes. Michin sends Giulia tumbling to the floor. Giulia blocks The Baseball Slide Dropkick. Giulia with The Draping NeckBreaker off the ring apron. Giulia has complete control of the match during the commercial break.

Forearm Exchange. HeadButt Exchange. Giulia ducks a clothesline from Michin. Giulia with a Release German Suplex. Michin rises back on her feet. Michin ducks a clothesline from Giulia. Michin with a German Suplex of her own. Palm Strike Exchange. Both ladies are knocked down after a Double Roundhouse Kick. Michin with forearm shivers. Michin delivers her combination offense. Michin with an Overhead Kick. Michin hits The Running Cannonball Strike for a two count. Michin slaps Giulia in the back. Giulia denies Eat Defeat. Giulia with The Sitout Hammerlock Driver for a two count. Giulia with Two Mid-Kicks. Michin responds with The SitOut PowerBomb for a two count. James continues to run interference. Michin whips Giulia into the ropes. Michin drops James with a Draping Hurricanrana. Giulia connects with The Arrivederci to pickup the victory.

Winner: Still WWE Women’s United States Champion, Giulia via Pinfall

– We go to the trainer’s room; Charlotte Flair is moping about her struggles in the city of Chicago. Alexa Bliss pretends to be a doctor when Charlotte asked for a real one. She needs to be medically cleared, ASAP. Alexa says that they’ll get their revenge on The Secret Hervice at the right time, because Charlotte needs to have the power of friendship to heal her leg.

CM Punk, Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, AJ Lee Segment 

Seth Rollins: Chicago! Tonight, we are all witnesses to history, because the legend of your hero, CM Punk, dies, right here, right now. And to do the honors, yes, yes, one last time, chant his name. But to do the honors, let me introduce to you, the greatest female wrestler in the history of planet earth. She is your Intercontinental Champion. And she is my sexy, brilliant, incredible Irish Wife, Chicago, welcome to the big time, I give you “The Man” Becky Lynch.

Becky Lynch: How dare you? How dare you chant another person’s name while I’m standing here in this ring. I am the greatest female wrestler of all-time, and it’s not just me saying it, other people say it, Sports Illustrated says it. The Chicago Tribune says it. Oh, classic Chicago, classic Chicago, I wouldn’t expect you to know what greatness looks like, all your teams sucks. The Blackhawks sucks. The Cubs sucks. The White Sox sucks. The Bulls sucks. And you suck, you suck so bad, they’re trading your ass. And CM Punk sucks.

CM Punk: This isn’t about you, it’s about your coward of a husband that’s hiding in a box, right now.

Becky Lynch: This is about me, and I’m actually surprised you came out here to show your face. Aren’t you embarrassed? Are you embarrassed?

CM Punk: Am I embarrassed? No, I don’t have anything to be embarrassed for, unlike your coward of a husband, hiding in a sky box, hiding behind Paul Heyman, hiding his goons, and now hiding behind his wife. I’m gonna give you the chance, because this has nothing to do with you.

Becky Lynch: How’s your face feeling? How’s your pride feeling? Shut up.

CM Punk: No, no, no, you will let them chant the name, AJ Lee. If it bothers you so much, you shouldn’t have stuck your nose in my business. We are in Chicago, you don’t think I got my friends, you don’t think I got shooters, you don’t think I can’t snap my fingers, and have one of my sisters jump over this rail, and get in this ring, and beat your ass?

Becky Lynch: Ok, yeah, come on, I’ll kick their ass. Which one is it, I’ll kick all of your assess.

CM Punk: You don’t think I can give a call to Bayley and have her come out here and beat your ass?

Becky Lynch: I’d kick her ass, too. Who else you got? You got anymore friends?

CM Punk: You don’t think I can call in a favor “The Eradicator” Rhea Ripley?

Becky Lynch: I think, what are you going to do? I don’t see them? Who’s going to save you?

Becky repeatedly slaps Punk in the face, like she did on Raw this past Monday.

Becky Lynch: You’re pathetic. You’ve got nobody. Okay, yeah, go run away, run away from your hometown. Get out of here. You’re an embarrassment. You’re an embarrassment to the city of Chicago, and that’s saying a lot.

CM Punk: Becky, this is exactly the situation I wanted to avoid, because you know, and I know, and everybody knows, I would never put my hands on a lady. Thankfully, I got someone who will.

– AJ Lee music hits to a massive ovation. AJ skips around the ringside area. AJ slowly walks into the ring. AJ tackles Becky. AJ transitions into a ground and pound attack. AJ pulls Becky back into the ring. AJ pulls Becky down to the mat. AJ with The Lou Thez Press. AJ tees off on Becky. AJ slaps Becky in the face. Becky retreats to the outside. AJ jumps into Punk’s arms. Punk and AJ stands tall in the ring as the show goes off the air.

Checkout Episode 481 of The Hoots Podcast