In a surprise announcement on tonight's SmackDown, WWE legend John Cena confirmed he will serve as the special guest host for the highly anticipated Payback event scheduled for tomorrow night. This revelation follows earlier reports suggesting that Cena was being considered for the hosting gig, and insiders believe agreements were likely reached well before the official disclosure. Contrary to the early information, Cena disclosed on tonight’s episode of SmackDown that he was only made aware of his hosting duties as he prepared to make his grand entrance from the Gorilla Position.

Speculation also arose earlier this week that Cena might appear at the upcoming WWE Fastlane event, set for October 7 in Indianapolis, Indiana, although this has yet to be confirmed. As part of his return campaign, which commenced tonight, Cena is also reportedly being considered for a match against Cody Rhodes.

Below is the updated WWE Payback 2023 card for tonight:

Special Guest Host: John Cena

WWE World Heavyweight Title Match: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Seth Rollins (c)

WWE Women’s World Title Match: Raquel Rodriguez vs. Rhea Ripley (c)

WWE United States Title Match: Austin Theory vs. Rey Mysterio (c)

Steel City Street Fight for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles: Finn Balor and Damian Priest vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn (c)

Steel Cage Match: Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus

The Grayson Waller Effect: An interview with Cody Rhodes

LA Knight vs. The Miz