LA Knight vs. GUNTHER Headlines SmackDown Final to Decide John Cena’s Dec. 13 Opponent
The matchup sets Cena’s farewell foe at the outset of WWE’s nine‑week Royal Rumble build.
Overview
- SmackDown airs live at 8 p.m. ET on USA Network from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.
- The winner advances to face John Cena on Dec. 13 at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, D.C.
- WWE has advertised Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, Charlotte Flair, Drew McIntyre, Sami Zayn and Tiffany Stratton, with Stratton's appearance billed as her first since losing the women’s title on Nov. 1.
- Previews split on the likely winner, with Forbes leaning toward LA Knight and Cageside Seats arguing GUNTHER is the more logical choice.
- Coverage frames this episode as the start of the Royal Rumble push, with WrestleVotes reporting SmackDown is slated to expand to three hours in January.