The Amerant Bank Arena hosts WWE SmackDown this Friday as the professional wrestling promotion continues its preparations for the upcoming December special event, the John Cena Classic.
John Cena, known as the Never Seen 17, has been traveling across various WWE programs to personally invite competitors to his inaugural tournament, according to reports on the tournament vision.
Previous appearances on Raw and NXT saw the veteran star select Cody Rhodes and Zilla Fatu as the first two confirmed entrants for the bracket.
Rhodes enters the show following a high-profile victory against Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing match held at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia, as documented in the event results.
Beyond the tournament announcement, the program will highlight the status of Team USA, which is scheduled to face Team Mexico in a 10-man elimination tag match at the upcoming Survivor Series.
The broadcast also marks a significant shift in the women’s division as Tiffany Stratton makes her first appearance since capturing the world championship.
Stratton secured the title after turning on her former ally, Chelsea Green, who had previously defeated Liv Morgan, noted the recap of the post-Crown Jewel developments.
The show is expected to feature appearances from Jade Cargill alongside the primary tournament participants.
The event comes amid broader industry scrutiny regarding international operations, as TKO workers have spoken out regarding safety concerns for events held in Saudi Arabia.
Fans can follow the live results and match-by-match updates starting at 8 p.m. ET on the USA Network.
The coverage will include grades and highlights for all featured segments throughout the evening.