John Cena is finally about to win his 17th WWE World title this weekend as he faces uncontroversial WWE champion Cody Rhodes in Sunday’s main event. Since abdicated AJ Style and reigned in 2017 for just two weeks, Cena has yet to win another title at any level.
It’s not a lack of trial as Cena takes part in the six-pack challenge at Fastlane 2018 and tries to take the Universal Championship from Rome’s reign in Summerslam 2021. Meanwhile, Rhodes began reigning the maiden as WWE champion by the man for three years, uncontroversial title unification, and later defeating several enemies, including him. He has since dodged AJ Styles, Kevin Owens, Logan Paul, Solosicore and others, making him the fourth person to defeat WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the event he named in the WWE Crown Jewel Championship.
It’s the first time Rhodes and Cena have been squared as fans of “American Nightmare” have loved or hated. Before that, we had met three times in 2013, 2010 and 2009, all of which had Cena appearing as the winner.
But that was long ago, and neither competitor would claim to be the same man. As Cena hasn’t won singles matches on pay-per-view since 2018, Rhodes has been the face of the brand for more than 370 days since killing “the tribe chief” who previously defeated Cena. The story between them was layered, twisted and shaped into the unlikely battle of modern good against corrupt evil. Hero and Mantle heirs who became villains. With that in mind, this is what we’ve talked about so far.
Rock wanted the soul of Cody Rhodes
This particular story began last year on the eve of Sunday at WrestleMania, where Locke returned to the ring for the first time in almost a decade, and finally exploited his status as the “final boss” to secure Rhodes’ pins. That victory was set in the next night, with the WWE Championship match of Rhodes and Reign matching the rules of the blood line, with many stars on both sides making their presence known.
Among the heroes that Rhodes ultimately helped him succeed in governing, he was nothing but China. The rocks then appeared to extract the Chinese at the bottom of the rock, but were removed from the equation by the Undertaker. When Rhodes finally won the title, Cena was in the ring as part of a celebrating ensemble. The night after “WWE RAW,” Lock reminded him that he had pinned him, and that their story had just begun.
A few months passed before Locke dealt with the next chapter of that story, and during February’s “WWE Smackdown,” he declared that he didn’t want Rhodes or the title he had, rather a match against his soul. Rhodes had even had his decision to take his decision, which would coincidentally be the night his WrestleMania 41 Challenger was decided.
The final gasp of John Cena’s history
Meanwhile, Cena had already announced that 2025 was his last year, so he was wrestling in his final Royal Rumble match with the goal of winning the record-holding WWE Champion, with the goal of going to WrestleMania. He entered the rumble as planned, and made it to the last two, but lacked due to the flash elimination by Jey Uso.
Shortly after the event, a disappointing Cena attended a post-show press conference to address the next step. He showed what fans have come to expect from a babyface in a company that has “hustle, loyalty, respect.”
He wasn’t seen for the next few weeks as his challenge to Gunther revealed that it was going to be against Rhodes at WrestleMania in Jay Uso’s Gunther challenge. Cena took part in the match as the fifth participant, and was eliminated by Drew McIntyre, but eventually suffocated CM Punk to acquire his place against Rhodes, with help from Seth Rollins, but secured his place. Cena and Rhodes stared at them as they were expected from the champions and challengers.
John Cena matches the rock and turns on Cody Rhodes
Cena appears to be siding alongside Rhodes after telling Rock to “go on her own”, and the pair engages in a celebratory embrace. But the moment they were locked up together, Cena’s face frowned from a smile. He slammed Rhodes into the middle of the ring with Rocksina, leaving his face down to the canvas.
However, Cena’s focus for the next few weeks appears to be apart from the idea that he sold his soul to the rock. Instead, it separates from the idea that he sold his soul to the rock, with the basis that he focused on how fans dropped him as his favorite in place of Rhodes, robbed the title from Rhodes, retired and declared his intention to take it from the business itself. He said in a personal interaction with Rhodes that he wanted to fill Rhodes. Rhodes said he remained his hero, even if he was an “A**hole” before Rhodes drove him to the mat against Crossroads.
Rhodes does the same when they meet in the ring on the go-home episode of “WWE Smackdown.” After Cena told Rhodes that he could beat him the moment he said what he had done to the rock and told him he was too concerned about what fans thought he should be able to beat him. And he continues to lose until he realizes he doesn’t need them.
The next chapter of the story will be written on Sunday. Cena aims to reach the top of her final day of the year and beyond her wrestling career. Rhodes became a WWE champion, defending the job of carrying the brand, and starting where the lock factor is, until he learns only time in history.
