The final chapter in the legendary and brutal rivalry between John Cena and Brock Lesnar now has a reported date. According to a new report, the two icons are set to collide in the main event of WWE’s yet-to-be-announced premium live event on Saturday, September 20.
Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena Reportedly Set for September 20
Speaking on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer confirmed previous reports that a match between the two was in the works and provided a specific date and context for the massive encounter. He stated that the plan is for the bout to headline the new premium live event in September.
“It can change, but the main event for this show is Brock Lesnar and John Cena. So it’s a big one,” Meltzer reported.
The news clarifies the immediate future for both superstars following the shocking conclusion to the SummerSlam premium live event earlier this month, where the returning Lesnar brutally attacked Cena.
A Strategic Decision for Two Premium Live Events
The report also sheds light on WWE’s strategic booking for its next two major events. John Cena is already scheduled to face Logan Paul at the Clash in Paris premium live event on August 31. Meltzer explained that Lesnar was deliberately kept off the Paris show because WWE specifically wanted to save his marquee match against Cena for the September 20 event.
“Which is why Brock’s not in Paris, is because of this,” Meltzer explained. “They wanted him for this show, not the Paris show, and that’s where Logan Paul got the gig.”
This strategic placement of such a monumental match is particularly significant given the date of the new premium live event. As has been previously reported, the September 20 show from Indianapolis, Indiana, is scheduled to run on the same day as All Elite Wrestling’s All Out pay-per-view. By headlining their unannounced event with a match of the caliber of Cena vs. Lesnar, WWE is making an aggressive competitive move, ensuring they have one of the biggest possible attractions to go head-to-head with their rival promotion.
The Final Chapter in a Legendary Rivalry
A one-on-one match between John Cena and Brock Lesnar in September will serve as a pivotal stop on Cena’s ongoing, year-long retirement tour, which is set to conclude in December. It will be a final opportunity for Cena to face his most dominant rival, the man who handed him the most decisive and humiliating defeat of his entire career at SummerSlam in 2014. In that infamous encounter, Lesnar dismantled Cena with sixteen German suplexes to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Lesnar’s shocking return at SummerSlam this year was a dark callback to that night, as he once again left a defeated and vulnerable Cena lying in a heap in the middle of the ring. This upcoming match will be Cena’s chance at redemption and a final test against “The Beast Incarnate” before he hangs up his boots for good. It is a dream match that is now reportedly set to be the main event of a huge show for WWE.
The report that Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena will headline the September 20th premium live event is a monumental piece of news that has massive implications for both WWE’s creative direction and its competitive strategy. By loading up their new, unannounced event with one of the biggest dream matches possible, WWE is making a clear statement. As John Cena first deals with Logan Paul in Paris, the clock will be ticking towards what is now set to be a brutal and historic final showdown with “The Beast Incarnate” in Indianapolis.