John Cena appeared on the final SmackDown before Backlash and cut a promo ahead of his Undisputed WWE Championship match against Randy Orton.
The segment ended with a masked wrestler entering the ring and attempting to hit Cena with an RKO. Cena countered and delivered an Attitude Adjustment — only for Orton to appear moments later and land a real RKO on the 17-time world champion, making a statement before their long-awaited clash.
NXT Star Revealed as John Cena’s Attacker on SmackDown
After the segment, speculation swirled about the identity of the mystery attacker.
Reports identified NXT star Shawn Spears as the masked figure who tried to ambush Cena.
Spears was reportedly recognized by his body type and tattoos, though it remains unclear why he was involved in the attack or what role he may play moving forward.
He’s currently part of NXT’s faction The Culling, alongside Izzi Dame, Niko Vance, and Brooks Jensen. His appearance on SmackDown could signal WWE Creative’s plan to transition him to the main roster.
Randy Orton Addresses Upcoming Title Match With John Cena at Backlash
Orton recently spoke with Billboard about his final showdown with Cena, previewing their match at Backlash.
This marks the last time the two WWE legends will share a ring, and for the first time in their long rivalry, Orton enters as the face while Cena plays the heel.
“He just brought that noise whether they loved him or hated him. Now, it has the potential to be completely opposite of how it used to be, and the pressure is on me as the good guy,” Orton said.
“But I think being in the hometown [of St. Louis], him being the bad guy, it’s just really weird. There’s no way to call it—and I think the match itself will be good, but I think the energy in that arena is going to cause it to be possibly very good. It’s completely up to the energy of that St. Louis crowd. So I’m hoping they’re all ready to go.”
As of now, it’s unclear how the match will play out and whether Cena will retain the title, especially given his recent declaration that he wants to “ruin wrestling” and retire as world champion. With WWE billing this as the final encounter between the two stars, the outcome could shape not only Cena’s legacy but also Orton’s final chapter. All eyes are on St. Louis.