John Cena, the consistently popular WWE champion, has reverted to his babyface persona during the opening segment of “WWE Smackdown,” just before his upcoming match with Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam. Previously, Rhodes had aggressively sent Cena crashing through a table and coerced him into signing their match contract.
Cena kicked off the show, but before he could speak, Rhodes’ entrance music played. Cena shared that he had expressed his exhaustion and doubts about the SummerSlam match to Rhodes, who ignored him, attacked him, and forged his signature. Cena then thanked Rhodes for the fan shock, calling the contract signing “the kick in the butt” he needed.
The champion admitted to a mistake he made five months ago when he agreed to a shocking TV stunt, which he regretted as it detracted from his wrestling focus. Cena told both Rhodes and the audience that he was so fixated on the match that he initially didn’t realize his foolishness. He credited Rhodes as a tough friend who forced him to confront reality and get ready to fight, stating their street fight would reveal his true character. Cena urged fans to remember August 1, 2025, in Newark, New Jersey, as the date John Cena returned to WWE.
Rhodes then grabbed two beers from ringside, invited Cena to join him, and the two shared a drink before Rhodes left the ring and Cena celebrated with the fans.
Fan Take: This pivotal character shift for John Cena is significant for WWE fans, signaling a fresh dynamic in his ongoing feud with Cody Rhodes. Cena’s renewed babyface role not only solidifies his legacy but also promises an emotionally charged and compelling storyline that could elevate WWE storytelling and match quality.
