The spirit of Cena’s “Last Time is Now” tournament was, in part, to give opportunities to up-and-coming stars. Even though the dream has gone up in dust following the appointment of former WWE World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER as “The Never-Seen Seventeen’s” final opponent, several WWE Superstars are taking from Cena’s intentions. As of Friday’s episode of “WWE SmackDown,” both Cody Rhodes and Bayley are set to face off the hottest stars from WWE’s developmental program, “NXT,” under Washington D.C.’s bright lights at “Saturday Night’s Main Event.”

As of writing, WWE Undisputed Champion Rhodes is set to go up against the victor of Ricky Saints and Oba Femi’s “NXT” Deadline clash for Saints’ “NXT” Championship. While Rhodes will not be putting up his world title for grabs in D.C. (boo, but you can’t win them all), this is still an incredible opportunity for both Saints and Femi, who could very well use this momentum to make an explosive main roster debut. If Saints wins at Deadline, then it will be an AEW re-hash, as the two former colleagues and documented friends share the ring for the first time in WWE. If Femi wins, then it will be a showdown between one of WWE’s current main eventers and one of its future main eventers. Rhodes’ gold is not up for grabs, but this opportunity is rich enough in and of itself: put on a show with Rhodes, and there’s your ticket to the big leagues. Their in-ring style might not be your cup of tea, but the opportunity alone is exciting enough.

Bayley’s match with Sol Ruca was the second contest announced Friday, and while neither women hold gold, this opportunity is, again, gold itself. Bayley is a trailblazer in this business: she is a member of the extremely exclusive Four Horsewomen club, she is the first-ever WWE Women’s Grand Slam champion, and she has earned nearly every accolade on the roster — literally, the GOAT. Ruca, in her very young career, has held the “NXT” Women’s North American Championship and the WWE Women’s Speed title simultaneously. She has crazy momentum, is incredibly over, and would reap huge benefits from a lock-up with Bayley. This is such a boon to Ruca’s career, and take into account how good these two are in-ring? They will tear the house down.

Let’s be honest: WWE goofed several times during Cena’s retirement tour, and the appointment of a well-established former world champion to retire Cena — rather than an up-and-comer, as Cena might have intended — is just another example of WWE dropping the ball. I am, however, happy that the spirit of Cena’s goodbye tour has been retained in Rhodes and Bayley’s upcoming “Saturday Night’s Main Event” matches.

Written by Angeline Phu