by Jesse Hudgins
For over 20 years, John Cena has been entertaining audiences on WWE television. During a premium live event in July of 2024, Cena announced that 2025 would be his last year of in-ring competition, marking an end of an era for the WWE.
After that announcement, fans across the internet were calling for Cena to win one last world title, topping the record of 16 he currently shares with Ric Flair. Leading up to the 2025 Royal Rumble, it was announced that Cena would enter the competition for a chance go to Wrestlemania and challenge a champion of his choosing. Controversially, he lost the Royal Rumble to Jey Uso, immediately confirming he would take part in the 2025 Elimination Chamber, still giving him a chance to go on to break the record. Nobody questioned this choice as Cena has given his life to the company, so it felt more than justified that he wouldn’t have to qualify like his opponents.
With Jey Uso challenging Gunther for the World Heavyweight title at Wrestlemania, this confirmed the winner of the men’s Elimination Chamber would fight Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship. Leading up to the Elimination Chamber event, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson made a return to WWE, offering Rhodes a chance to join him and receive the treatment of a lifetime, with his decision needing to be made at Elimination Chamber. Once the event came, fans anticipated Rhodes’ answer as well as who would be challenging him at Wrestlemania. After a grueling battle, Cena came out on top with Rhodes coming to the ring afterward to congratulate him on the win, shaking hands while knowing they’ll be duking it out for the title.
The celebration was interrupted by Johnson and Travis Scott who were looking for an answer from Rhodes. Rhodes declined Johnson’s offer with the fans, as well as Cena, celebrating with the two embracing after. However, during the embrace, Johnson gave Cena a signal, and once the embrace ended, most wrestling fans’ childhood hero did the unthinkable. He attacked Rhodes, leaving him bloody and breaking many fans’ hearts, including mine. Cena sold his soul for a chance to break the record. This marks the first time in almost 20 years that Cena is a bad guy.
What added to this and made this turn so fantastic is that Cena had been the hero and top guy for most of the adolescence of now-adult wrestling fans. It was genuine shock when it happened, and now the build-up for Wrestlemania is 100% more interesting. Even though many people wanted Cena to get his record-breaking title win, he’s turned his back on the fans, potentially leading fans to turn their backs on him.
