Elimination Chamber 2025 @ Rogers Centre, Toronto
Seth Rollins’ vicious Curb Stomp left CM Punk motionless, letting Cena tighten his hold and claim the victory. Rollins never looked at Cena, never raised a hand in celebration; his grudge was personal. But for Cena, it was the perfect storm—the catalyst to set in motion his heel turn and WWE’s most shocking alliance in years.
The roots of this feud stretch back to Elimination Chamber 2025, where Cena shocked fans by turning heel for the first time since 2003—attacking Rhodes and aligning with The Rock and Travis Scott after winning the Chamber match. This betrayal marked a pivotal character shift and ignited Cena’s “ruin wrestling” crusade. Cena entered the Elimination Chamber match determined to become a 17-time world champion, breaking Ric Flair’s all-time record. He justified his heel shift with a cold “best for business” attitude and the idea that only by fully embracing a darker persona could he achieve this legacy. The event peaked when Cena, flanked by The Rock and Travis Scott, mercilessly low‑blowed Rhodes after he refused to “sell his soul” to The Rock—signaling a ruthless new direction. After years of being cheered passionately, Cena grew tired of the adoration and felt undervalued as his career waned. He later berated the fans in promos, saying they “mistreated” him and that he was done playing the nice guy that everybody once loved.

John Cena sells his soul and attacks Cody Rhodes

“John Cena SELLS OUT and ruthlessly assaults Cody Rhodes: Elimination Chamber 2025” - WWE.com Staff (Photo: WWE.com)

Wrestlemania 41 @ Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
Their journey culminated at WrestleMania 41, main event between Cena and Rhodes was nothing short of chaotic. From the opening bell, Cena adopted a slower, more methodical pace—taunting Rhodes and the crowd. Rhodes, ever the underdog, rallied back, hitting Cena with two Cross Rhodes back-to-back. But just as Rhodes went for the pin, Travis Scott stormed the ring, pulling the referee out at a two-count. Cena capitalized on interference from Travis Scott to defeat Rhodes, becoming a record-breaking 17-time world champion. Cena won via pinfall by nailing Cody Rhodes in the head with the WWE Championship belt, the Geiger moment reignited controversy—many fans and critics dubbed the finish “anti‑climactic,” yet it set the stage for a rematch at SummerSlam

John Cena wins 17th World Championship at Wrestlemania 41

Moments before Cena nailed Rhodes with the championship belt and gaining the victory (photo: WWE/netflix)

King of the Ring 2025 @ Kingdom Arena, Riyadh
The road to SummerSlam has brought us a main event months in the making. Cena, the recent 17‑time champion and current undisputed WWE World Champion, vows that he will “ruin wrestling” for the WWE Universe by taking the championship with him when he retires. Cody Rhodes, riding high after his King of the Ring Finals victory over mentor Randy Orton, is determined to reclaim the gold he lost at WrestleMania 41 and revive the sport.
On the same night, Cena successfully defended his Undisputed WWE World Championship against long-time rival CM Punk in a highly personal, nostalgia-fueled matchup. The match showcased their storied rivalry at its peak, with Punk kicking out of three Attitude Adjustments and even locking Cena in his own STF before transitioning into the Anaconda Vise. Cena, clearly frustrated, considered using the championship belt as a weapon but ultimately gave in to the crowd and refrained—only for Punk to counter into a GTS for a nail-biting near fall.
The match spiraled into madness when Rollins stormed to ringside with Paul Heyman, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed, looking to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase. Punk briefly fought off Breakker and Reed before they slammed him through the announce table. Cena prevented a replacement referee Charles Robinson from entering took out Rollins with an Attitude Adjustment . The scene escalated further when Penta and Sami Zayn joined the fray, battling Breakker and Reed in a wild brawl that included a crossbody by Penta off the entrance ramp onto Breakker and Zayn.
Back in the ring, Punk thwarted Reed’s attempt at a Tsunami, shoving him off the top rope into an Attitude Adjustment from Cena. But just as Punk had Cena ready for a final GTS, Rollins struck Punk with a devastating Stomp after a briefcase shot. Cena quickly tossed Rollins out of the ring and seized the moment to pin Punk, retaining the championship in one of the most chaotic main events in recent WWE history.

John Cena vs CM Punk at Night of Champions Riyadh Saudi Arabia

John Cena hitting CM Punk with his signature Attitude Adjustment at King of the Ring 2025 (photo: WWE.com)

FINAL PREDICTION: John Cena def. Cody Rhodes
The rivalry between John Cena and Cody Rhodes has already taken center stage once before on WWE’s grandest stage. Now, as they prepare to main event SummerSlam, history is set to repeat itself—but with even higher stakes.
My reasoning to why Cena wins because seeing Cena hold the Undisputed WWE Championship as he turns babyface would give the WWE Universe a nostalgic yet bittersweet moment—a chance to thank the man who carried the company for over a decade. His farewell run as a heroic champion could set up dream matches against the likes of Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, even AJ Styles and etc., before he retires. Furthermore, it has been announced that Cody is casted to the Street Fighter film, making it uncertain on his availability with the company for a while.
Given Cena’s run as a heel champion and the chaotic nature of his recent title defenses, it’s almost certain this showdown will be riddled with interferences, twists, and game-changing moments. Below, I’ve outlined some key scenarios and potential plot developments that could unfold during this highly anticipated clash:

A Double Turn: Heel becomes babyface, babyface becomes heel
This subtle moral blurring has laid the groundwork for a potential role reversal. Cena may be the villain on paper, but his legacy, presence, and undeniable impact on WWE have made it increasingly difficult for fans to truly hate him. Even in hostile environments, crowds find themselves cheering the man they once jeered. Meanwhile, Rhodes’ trajectory carries the warning signs of a familiar WWE narrative. His relentless pursuit of redemption and the company’s effort to position him as the heroic face could be tipping into dangerous territory—the dreaded “Super-Cody” syndrome. This phenomenon mirrors John Cena’s own polarizing run during his prime, when his constant victories and squeaky-clean image led fans to grow weary and eventually turn on him.
Ironically, the same cycle that once consumed Cena may now be targeting Rhodes. If WWE chooses to lean into this, SummerSlam could mark a stunning shift: Cena reclaiming his role as the respected hero fighting and aligning with the WWE Universe, and Rhodes succumbing to the same obsession and arrogance that fans once despised in Cena himself.
This wouldn’t just redefine their characters—it could reshape the entire landscape of WWE heading into the fall.
Seth Rollins Cash-In (under the assumption that Cena loses the title)
Another potential game-changer in this matchup is the presence of Seth Rollins and his faction.
Rollins and Rhodes once tore the house down during their WrestleMania 38 trilogy, a bitter feud that saw Rhodes return to WWE and defeat Rollins three times in a row. Though their animosity cooled when they found themselves aligned as uneasy allies in the fight against The Bloodline, the cracks in their relationship have never truly healed.
Should Rhodes finally defeat Cena and finish his story at SummerSlam, Rollins could strike in the aftermath, cashing in his Money In The Bank contract to shatter Rhodes’ moment of glory. This wouldn’t just rob Cody of his long-sought redemption—it would reignite one of WWE’s most compelling modern rivalries. Rollins vs. Rhodes II for the Undisputed Championship could dominate the fall season, while Cena exits gracefully from the main event picture, having passed the torch to two of WWE’s top stars.
Roman Reigns???
While Roman Reigns is currently away filming Street Fighter, his presence in WWE is never fully gone. And if Reigns were to make a surprise return at SummerSlam, it wouldn’t be to involve himself in the Cena vs. Rhodes main event—it would be to settle unfinished business with Seth Rollins.
Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns’ rivalry isn’t just a loose thread—it’s an ongoing saga that’s been simmering ever since the infamous Shield breakup. For years, Rollins has been one of the few superstars unafraid to stand toe-to-toe with The Tribal Chief during his historic title reign. But their bad blood escalated to new heights at WrestleMania 41, where Rollins aligned with Paul Heyman in a shocking turn of events.
This betrayal left Reigns with unfinished business. However, Reigns might not be the only one gunning for Rollins. CM Punk, still seething from his King of the Ring loss, could also make his presence felt. Picture the scene: Punk’s music hits as Rollins prepares to cash in, distracting him just long enough for either Rhodes or Cena to recover—or for Reigns to strike. The chaos could set up a dream scenario for WWE fans—a Survivor Series with Punk, Reigns and allies like LA Knight, Sami Zayn or Penta against Rollin’s faction, with Paul Heyman caught in the middle of the storm once more that he created.

Road to

CENA vs RHODES 2

SummerSlam 2025

@ MetLife Stadium, New Jersey