Kevin Owens reacts after WWE star bids goodbye to SmackDown forever with a heartfelt tribute

WWE SmackDown in Chicago last night was an emotional ride for fans, as AJ Lee returned to wrestling after a 10-year absence. Meanwhile, an icon bid goodbye to the blue brand for good with a heartfelt tribute to Kevin Owens. The Prizefighter has now taken to social media to acknowledge the nod.

John Cena made his final appearance on SmackDown as part of his ongoing retirement tour. The Cenation Leader cut an emotional promo, announcing that this would be his last time in Chicago, a place where he made history and memories for many years. It was a full circle moment for the 17-time world champion, who debuted on SmackDown in Chicago’s Allstate Arena 23 years ago and ended his run in the very same building.

Moments later, John Cena met a familiar face in Sami Zayn, whom he helped introduce on the main roster almost a decade ago. The Great Liberator sought The Cenation Leader's approval to bring back the United States Championship Open Challenge, to which Cena replied that it was a great idea.

As John Cena was about to leave, Sami Zayn challenged him to one last match for the title. The two men put on a barnburner contest, with The Franchise Player honoring his former rivals once again by using their signature maneuvers.

He famously gave a nod to Kevin Owens, pulling off a Pop-up Powerbomb out of nowhere. The match ended in a no-contest after Brock Lesnar returned to lay out both men with an F5. After the show, Kevin Owens took to his official X (formerly Twitter) account to share his reaction.

You can check out his tweet below.

Kevin

@FightOwensFight

🤟🏻 @johncena

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What's next for John Cena in WWE?

John Cena will face his biggest challenge to date as he takes on Brock Lesnar at WWE Wrestlepalooza on September 20.

WWE confirmed that the two men would wrestle one last time to end their storied rivalry. This will also mark The Beast Incarnate's return to in-ring competition for the first time since SummerSlam 2023. Will he be able to kill the legend of John Cena? Only time will tell.