The field for John Cena’s “The Last Time Is Now” tournament continued to narrow Friday night on WWE SmackDown, as the promotion moves closer to a December 5th finale [[1]]. Jey Uso and LA Knight secured victories in their respective matches, advancing to the semi-final round alongside GUNTHER and Solo Sikoa [[2]]. The night also featured an unconventional turn of events involving The Miz and a last-minute roster adjustment due to Sheamus’s injury [[3]].
John Cena’s “The Last Time Is Now” tournament continued Friday night on SmackDown, with two matches narrowing the field to the final four.
Jey Uso advanced after defeating Rusev in a pinfall victory. Despite speculation about a potential appearance by Paul Heyman and his group seeking retribution for Bronson Reed’s elimination the previous week, Uso secured the win in a one-on-one contest against the Bulgarian Brute.
The night’s other match saw LA Knight face a mystery opponent initially intended to be Sheamus, who was sidelined due to injury. The surprise reveal came when The Miz exploited a loophole, tricking SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis into granting him another tournament entry despite his earlier elimination.
While The Miz put up a fight, Knight ultimately prevailed with his signature BFT maneuver. The outcome, while expected, was a bit of a letdown for fans hoping for a more challenging opponent for Knight in place of Sheamus. WWE often navigates unexpected roster changes due to injury, and this was one such instance.
The tournament now heads to Raw on December 1 with two semi-final matchups: GUNTHER versus Solo Sikoa, and Jey Uso versus LA Knight. The final showdown will then take place on SmackDown, December 5.
The tournament’s progression is generating significant buzz among wrestling fans as the year-end approaches. What are your predictions for the final rounds? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
For a complete recap of tonight’s SmackDown, check out the live blog here.
