00:00Ladies and gentlemen, on May 4th, 2015, on Monday Night Raw, just over 10 years ago,
00:06John Cena beat Sami Zayn in Zayn's main roster debut in an open challenge for Cena's then United States Championship.
00:15Here tonight, a decade later, on John Cena's last match ever on Friday Night SmackDown,
00:21Sami Zayn's gonna pay it back, putting his United States title on the line against the greatest of all time.
00:27As exciting as this may be for John Cena, I'm sure Cena realizes full well,
00:33this is not the same starry-eyed young kid looking for an opportunity that Sami Zayn was 10 years ago.
00:38This is a man who has main-evented WrestleMania.
00:41Sami Zayn has seen and done a few things since those 10 years.
00:44Including beating solo Sokoa last week to win the United States title.
00:49And Sami Zayn with a deep arm drag on John Cena.
00:53The All-State Arena in Chicago for 40 years.
00:56There's so many WWE memories.
00:59And probably near the top or maybe at the top of that list.
01:03What happened here on June 25th, 2002.
01:06It was the night that John Cena debuted in WWE.
01:10In a match against Kurt Angle.
01:12Where the ruthless aggression era would begin.
01:14An incredible matchup.
01:16One that The Undertaker would grab John Cena in the locker room area and say,
01:19Welcome aboard, kid.
01:21You're going to be a star.
01:23The dead man's prophecy would hold true.
01:26And John Cena now in control of the United States champion, Sami Zayn.
01:30Well, it is a title that has defined so much of John Cena's career.
01:34We talk about the 17 world titles.
01:36But John is a five-time United States champion.
01:39And in fact, the first singles championship that John Cena won in WWE was the United States title.
01:47Who can ever forget the win over the big show at Madison Square Garden and WrestleMania 20 back in 2004.
01:54An electric crowd of nearly 17,000 tonight.
02:02Uh-oh.
02:02And John Cena got caught.
02:04As Sami Zayn tried the leapfrog.
02:06Caught him in the shoulder.
02:07Hook of the leg now on Cena.
02:08And a kick out at two.
02:09Credit to John Cena for accepting this opportunity without having come out here expecting to compete tonight.
02:15Cena was out here to thank the Chicago fans.
02:17Really bask in his last appearance on Friday Night SmackDown.
02:20And instead, finds himself in a United States championship match.
02:23Nice suplex by Zayn.
02:25And again, floats into the cover.
02:26Hooks the leg this time on John.
02:28And a kick out at two.
02:29And Cena coming off an incredible performance.
02:32A clash in Paris a week ago Sunday.
02:35And of course, that was against Logan Paul.
02:40Absolute barn burner in Paris.
02:42Think back to SummerSlam even in defeat.
02:44The battle against Cody Rhodes over the WWE Championship.
02:48Cena has been doing some of the best work of his entire career here in this last run.
02:52Imagine winning the United States Championship for his sixth time tonight.
02:57And his final night on SmackDown.
02:58Suplexed by the powerful Cena.
03:03Again, this is an opportunity for Sami Zayn to prove not only to himself, but the WWE Universe and the rest of the locker room.
03:09But he is no longer the perennial underdog.
03:11Sami Zayn needs to be taken seriously.
03:13He's a veteran of this game.
03:14He has seen and done just about everything there is to do.
03:17But how better of a way to prove it to the world than to beat the greatest of all time?
03:23And Zayn now in control.
03:27Sami Zayn, a former four-time Intercontinental Champion.
03:31Tag champion on a couple of occasions.
03:33As he whips Cena into the corner with authority.
03:36And Zayn has been controlling most of this matchup.
03:39Much of the chagrin of this sold-out crowd in Chicago.
03:42Yeah, the usually beloved Sami Zayn experiencing a little hostility here in the All-State Arena.
03:48Sami's been red hot over the past couple of months.
03:54I'd love to knock off Cena tonight.
03:57Ruining Cena's final night here in Chicago.
04:00Gipped into the corner again.
04:02And John collapses the floor.
04:03You gotta wonder how much last Sunday's match has taken out of John Cena against Logan Paul.
04:08I mean, that was, what, just five nights ago?
04:09You're absolutely right.
04:10And no disrespect intended, but sometimes as you get older, it takes a little longer to heal,
04:14to recover from whatever was ailing John Cena in the wake of Clash in Paris.
04:20Now, Sami Zayn with that front face lock.
04:24And this is sending Cena across the ring.
04:25Reversal by John and Sami!
04:29With authority, and now both men down.
04:32United States title on the line.
04:40Critical point in this matchup for the United States title, Corey.
04:47Both men down, trying to make it back to their feet.
04:49You'll have to imagine at this juncture, it benefits Sami Zayn, should he be able to push
04:53the pace of the matchup?
04:55And again, a collision.
04:56And we have sold out crowd tonight at All-State Arena.
05:02One of 16,678 on hand.
05:06Dan Engler, the official, checking on both men.
05:09The atmosphere all night long since they opened the doors has been electric.
05:17Even prior to coming on the air, All-State Arena has been rocking.
05:21Yeah, something special is in the air tonight.
05:24Looking for the A.A.
05:24Sami Zayn, though, able to turn it into a DDT.
05:27DDT, again, covered by the champion.
05:30Is it enough?
05:30No, kick out by Cena.
05:37Sami Zayn, to this point, using a bit more tentative pace than we're used to, perhaps
05:42out of respect for John Cena.
05:44Sami Zayn, so familiar with John Cena's game that Sami knows it only takes one mistake
05:49for Cena to make you pay.
05:51Been in the ring a number of times together, but this is just the second time in their
05:55careers they've gone one-on-one.
05:57And Sami now just completely controlling the pace.
06:02And there's got to be a part of John Cena who's proud of what Sami Zayn has accomplished
06:05over the last ten years.
06:07The way that Sami has grown as a competitor.
06:09The way that Sami has transcended as a WWE superstar.
06:13That was the point of the initial John Cena United States Championship Open Challenge.
06:16And you look back at that time, remember Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, so dominant in NXT.
06:21And Kevin Owens, Sami's buddy, would come in, right?
06:23And he'd make a name for himself at the hands of John Cena as well.
06:26Return the Open Challenge.
06:28Side down, big axe handle cover by Zayn.
06:31Hook of the leg on Cena and a kick out at two.
06:33And I know there's a part of John Cena who is enjoying these matchups on this farewell tour,
06:43knowing that the roster is in good hands.
06:46John Cena cares so deeply about WWE and this business.
06:50I don't think John would honestly walk away unless he felt comfortable doing so.
06:53And being pushed to his limits right now by Sami Zayn in some backwards way has got to feel good for Cena.
06:59Cena now with a shoulder tackle and another one to Sami Zayn.
07:02Very familiar to the sellout crowd here in Allstate Arena.
07:05Sami Zayn is down and Cena's got him where he wants him.
07:08Could you imagine, Cole?
07:10John Cena may leave Chicago with some new gold.
07:13And Vince and Cena looking for the five-knuckle shuffle and connects.
07:36Sami Zayn is in a world of danger right now.
07:39Cena measuring his opponent.
07:40And he's got him in position for an AA.
07:45An attitude adjustment or a use to Carly a few.
07:48And here we go.
07:48Now Sami Zayn slips underneath and John misses.
07:50Wilde and now Sami with a blue thunderbomb.
07:53Is it enough?
07:55No.
07:56Near fall.
08:01We've seen Sami Zayn utilize that blue thunderbomb to such great effect throughout his career,
08:06but couldn't get the job done in that instance.
08:08Cena!
08:09Cena!
08:10Cena!
08:10Cena!
08:11Cena!
08:12Cena!
08:13Cena!
08:14John Cena, Sami Zayn battling for the United States Championship in a Sami Zayn open challenge
08:20tonight.
08:21Giving back to the man who allowed him to accept an open challenge on his debut in WWE over a
08:27decade ago.
08:29Let's go, Cena!
08:31And Cena now with, uh-oh, Sami up on his shoulders and Sami able to thwart the apparent AA attempt.
08:37Zayn, top rope, caught by Cena.
08:41John's got Sami with a lot of attitude adjustment to win the United States Championship!
08:48Sami just got the shoulder up!
08:51Take a look at the impact on a thunderous AA by Cena!
09:04And somehow Zayn stays alive!
09:07There's 16,000-plus in Chicago thought Cena was about to win a sixth United States Championship
09:17in his illustrious career.
09:19Kudos to Sami Zayn for surviving the AA.
09:24The first time in almost nine years that John Cena has been involved in a championship match
09:34on Friday Night SmackDown.
09:36Think about everything that's-
09:38Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh!
09:38Uh-oh, uh-oh!
09:39Sami!
09:39Looking for the exploder!
09:41Cena with a couple of well-placed elbows.
09:42And now John, Sami up and down!
09:48Oh-ho-ho!
09:49Did a powerbomb by Cena!
09:50Is it enough?
09:51Almost had him!
09:53Taking a page out of the playbook of none other than Kevin Owens.
09:57Who we spoke about earlier and what John Cena has meant to the career of a young Kevin Owens
10:03when he burst on the scene accepting an open challenge a decade ago.
10:07Cena launching Zayn to the sky before driving him down.
10:10Neck and shoulders first, but Zayn with too much left in the tank.
10:14That pop-up powerbomb by Cena.
10:17Almost won him the United States Championship.
10:19Think about what's at stake for Sami Zayn beyond the United States Championship.
10:23He is in the ring with the measuring stick.
10:25The man who is widely accepted throughout the locker room as the greatest of all time.
10:30Sami Zayn, in doing battle with John Cena, is telling the rest of the roster,
10:33Hey, I'm hanging with the GOAT.
10:35Come at me at your own risk.
10:37Sami dragging himself back to his feet.
10:39Cena now into the corner.
10:40Sami moves out of harm's way, and John goes shoulder first into the post.
10:45And now Sami Zayn has got Cena where he wants him.
10:50Zayn looking to take Cena out.
10:52Sami for the hallouma kick.
10:54Nobody home.
10:54Gets hung out on the top rope.
10:57And Cena now with a back suplex.
11:00Cover.
11:00Again.
11:01Looking to win the United States title.
11:03Sami gets the shoulder up.
11:05Well, that almost looked to me like a version of an angle slam.
11:08Perhaps a callback to John Cena's first night in WWE against Hall of Famer Kurt Angle.
11:15Let's take another look.
11:20Cena mustering every last bit of strength in his being.
11:25But it still was not enough.
11:27What a matchup for the United States title.
11:34Cena.
11:34Cena, Zayn, John's last night in Chicago.
11:38Last night on SmackDown as his retirement tour nears conclusion in December.
11:45Well, unfortunately for Sami Zayn, it could be his last night as United States champion.
11:49Yeah, seven-day reign.
11:50That would be.
11:51He's two throwing haymakers.
12:05Cena utilizing those massive fists to his, like cinder blocks between the eyes of Zayn.
12:10Who answers?
12:11Oh, and both men down again, center of the ring.
12:13What a matchup for the United States championship.
12:17Yeah.
12:17Yeah.
12:17Yeah.
12:17Yeah.
12:21Yeah.
12:22Yeah.
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12:24Yeah.
12:25Yeah.
12:26Yeah.
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12:28Yeah.
12:29Yeah.
12:30Yeah.
12:31Yeah.
12:32Yeah.
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12:35Yeah.
12:36Yeah.
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12:38Yeah.
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12:48Yeah.
12:49Yeah.
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