Title open challenge added to WWE SmackDown
On WWE SmackDown tonight, Sami Zayn will defend his United States Championship in an open challenge.
WWE posted a video this afternoon revealing that a U.S. title open challenge will be part of tonight’s SmackDown lineup. The identity of Zayn’s opponent is not known yet. Last week, Zayn revealed that regular open challenges would be part of his reign — with Zayn honoring John Cena and his history of giving underrated talent an opportunity when he was U.S. champ.
.@RealNickAldis breaks down EVERYTHING you need to know for huge night in Norfolk for #SmackDown!
— WWE (@WWE) September 12, 2025
📺 8ET/7CT on @USANetwork pic.twitter.com/W1KaRa37c3
Zayn started his reign two weeks ago when he defeated Solo Sikoa for the U.S. title. His first defense was a match against Cena last Friday, but it ended in a no contest when Brock Lesnar interrupted things by attacking both competitors.
Lesnar, who is set to face Cena at WWE’s Wrestlepalooza PLE on September 20, will be on SmackDown tonight to address his actions. Cena is not appearing on the episode.
Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia is the venue for tonight. Here is the updated lineup:
WWE SmackDown (Friday, September 12) —
- Brock Lesnar appears
- WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton defends against Jade Cargill
- Randy Orton vs. Drew McIntyre
- Sami Zayn United States Championship open challenge
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.