WWE Friday Night SmackDown aired live from the Amerant Bank Arena in Fort Lauderdale, FL this week and the show kicked off in a big way as John Cena made his way out into the arena.
After Cena arrived in the ring he held up the John Cena Classic Championship belt and hyped up the fact that the fans will have the power to decide who wins the title.
John told the fans that “the time is now” then he welcomed Charlotte Flair to the ring as she was confirmed as the next invitee to the John Cena Classic.
Charlotte said that she spent ten years trying to figure out how to get into the ring across from John Cena and get into a storyline with him. The Queen talked about all the championships Cena has won as she told him she thinks she’s that great too. Flair tried to hold back tears as she recalled how Cena told her to stop trying to be perfect, and to own who she is during a private conversation backstage at WrestleMania 41. She thanked Cena for helping her find her passion again, and reinvent herself.
Charlotte started to cry as the fans chanted “you deserve it.” She told everyone that she’s going to win the John Cena Championship because she’s the greatest champion of all time.
Cena told Charlotte that when he said someday he will shake the hand of the person who won 18 championships, he was always talking about her. They hugged and shook hands as Charlotte left the ring.
Later in the show John Cena was walking backstage when Fatal Influence stopped him. They berated John Cena as they told him he wasted a spot in the John Cena Classic by putting Charlotte Flair in. As they went off on Cena he told them they’re right, and that’s exactly the type of ruthless aggression he’s looking for. John Cena then invited Fatal Influence to the John Cena Classic, shook their hands and left.