Will John Cena be on WWE SmackDown this week? What we know

John Cena made history by clinching his 17th World title victory against Cody Rhodes in the main event of WrestleMania 41. The star addressed his victory on RAW after WrestleMania, reiterating that he was on a path to ruin wrestling and claiming to be the last real champion in the company.

Randy Orton, out of nowhere, delivered a vicious RKO to the Greatest of All Time on RAW, which made headlines. Furthermore, both men confronted each other on SmackDown last week and challenged each other to a match for the Undisputed WWE Championship at the Backlash Premium Live Event.

With Backlash right around the corner, John Cena's appearance on this week's SmackDown appears uncertain. The Friday Night Show is set to emanate from the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines and will feature Randy Orton. However, John Cena has not been advertised for the show so far, which might end up being a tease that he is set to miss this episode.

The match between both men has been made official and is being billed as ‘One Last Time’ clearing that their feud would only last for a match. Randy Orton will return to his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri for Backlash and is set for one of the biggest matches since his return from a serious injury.

While the match is undoubtedly worth watching, their feud is also quite intriguing. With one more SmackDown edition remaining before Backlash, Cena may make an appearance to intensify his historic rivalry with The Viper. Fans will have to wait and see what WWE has planned for both men at the premium live event on May 10.

Will John Cena come out of St. Louis as the World Champion?

John Cena has already claimed to be the 'last real champion' in the company and has revealed his motive to take the Undisputed WWE Championship home with him when he marks his retirement. His match with Randy Orton is among the last few matches of his career, and The Viper is seemingly the biggest threat to the legend.

WWE has made a major tease regarding the Undisputed WWE Championship match at Backlash, which has answered many questions. The company released a post for the upcoming edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event, scheduled to be held at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida, on May 24, featuring only one star on the poster, John Cena.

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This is a massive tease in itself that Cena might walk out of Backlash as the Undisputed WWE Champion, considering the fact that the star might not appear in the company right after losing the World Title and his status as the top star on the roster.

However, with Randy Orton returning to his hometown for the match, things feel highly unpredictable. It will be very interesting to see what happens when both legends clash at WWE Backlash 2025.

About the author

Ishaan writes for the WWE vertical at Sportskeeda. While he is a finance student, Ishaan is an avid pro wrestling fan, which has led him to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Before joining Sportskeeda, Ishaan worked for various renowned websites such as GiveMeSport and Fansided, and has nearly three years of experience. He relies only on credible sources like Cagematch when reporting on a topic. Ishaan cross-checks his work multiple times to ensure it is factually correct.

Ishaan’s favorite pro wrestler is Seth Rollins. He admires The Visionary’s never-give-up attitude and work ethic. In fact, it was The Shield’s memorable WWE debut in 2012 that got him hooked on sports entertainment in the first place. Ishaan would love to interview Rollins someday.

When not reporting on pro wrestling, Ishaan loves to watch movies and occasionally play cricket.

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Edited by Neda Ali