Overview
- WWE confirmed the first-round pairings of Rusev vs. Damian Priest and Sheamus vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the November 10 Raw at TD Garden.
- John Cena will appear on the Boston show and posted on X that he "can’t wait to see the matchups and surprises," calling the event a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
- The winner of the tournament will face Cena in his retirement match on December 13 at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, D.C.
- Twelve tournament spots remain unannounced, with coverage noting speculation about surprise entrants and possible outside participants, which WWE has teased without confirming specifics.
- Sheamus framed a potential final meeting as meaningful given his 2009 TLC win over Cena, while Rusev publicly questioned whether Cena will stay retired despite WWE’s messaging.