CM Punk vs. John Cena: Who Will Turn Heel vs. Cody Rhodes For WrestleMania 41 Match

The Rock added an interesting wrinkle to the WWE Elimination Chamber and the road to WrestleMania 41, which could offer the big development we’ve been waiting for.

During last week’s episode of SmackDown, The Final Boss took part in the most bizarre segment in some time. It was long and repetitive at times, and it didn’t even give fans a definitive answer on his involvement in this year’s event.

Nevertheless, his offer to give Cody Rhodes everything he initially wanted in his first run with the company in exchange for his soul has become the biggest talking point. On the surface, this Faustian deal seemed random and cartoonish compared to the rest of the second generation’s time as the undisputed universal WWE champion. 

However, it also aligns with some of the seeds WWE planted with CM Punk and John Cena. It’s hard to imagine The American Nightmare will accept the offer, but this storyline could make his eventual opponent much more interesting. 

Will CM Punk Join Forces With The Rock? 

Straight away, CM Punk seems like the logical choice after his interaction with Rhodes from the Jan. 22 episode of Raw. 

The two have also had unspoken tension since the final moments of the men’s Royal Rumble match in 2024. The 39-year-old ultimately eliminated Punk to punch his ticket to The Showcase of the Immortals and slammed the door on his chance to compete in the main event.

The Second City Saint has also set his sights on championship gold since he wrapped up his feud with Drew McIntyre last year. Now that Jey Uso vs. Gunther is official, he only has one option if he wants to challenge for a world title. 

10 years ago, the idea of him siding with The Rock as a corporate champion would’ve been sacrilegious. Today, it’s pretty close to how some of his most vocal critics have characterized his return to WWE following a highly publicized and messy exit in 2014. 

Frankly, some of his detractors already think he sold out, so it would make perfect sense to lean into this perception and use it to his advantage. This would create an intriguing dynamic with Rhodes, who has already said he’s “more CM Punk than CM Punk.”

Those words would hit much harder if Punk completely bought in and became the very thing he claimed to hate during his popular claim to fame. 

Can WWE Finally Pull Off A John Cena Heel Turn? 

WWE also has the opportunity to give fans something they’ve been clamoring for for years.

John Cena’s run as a prototypical white meat babyface was endearing for many viewers worldwide. Conversely, it sometimes became a creative albatross that stifled his character development and alienated fans who grew tired of his do-gooder schtick. 

The “Super Cena” era, where he never lost, grew stale and drew a level of disdain that most villains in the same profession could only dream of. It became fun to hate WWE’s top guy and actively root against him between 2008 and 2014.

This infamously led to demands for him to turn heel, and apparently, during his feud with The Rock, there were plans to do so in 2011. So, it’s fitting that a partnership with his former rival could finally spark this character change in 2025. 

After his final Royal Rumble appearance, the 47-year-old declared it’s best for business for him to main-event WrestleMania and become a 17-time world champion. It was a stark departure from the earnest promo he cut during the debut episode of Raw on Netflix.

Cena didn’t say he would give it a shot and hope for the best. Instead, he all but guaranteed a win and repeatedly emphasized, “It's what’s best for business,” which is a mantra The Authority popularized.

WWE drove this point home during the video package that aired on Monday night, laying the groundwork for what could be one of the most shocking moments of the year.  

The Verdict 

Rhodes vs. Cena has been reportedly slated for WrestleMania 41 for months. This leads us to believe he will accept The Rock’s offer and attempt to break Ric Flair’s record for the most world title wins.

Yes, it’s ironic that WWE would do this during his farewell tour when many fans have grown to appreciate him, but there are two ways to look at this. This would be a splendid parting gift for fans who have always wanted to see him turn heel, and it will give his avid haters the chance to boo him one last time. 

Andrew Timms/WWE via Getty Images

The reasoning for his turn is also fairly simple. When he couldn’t win on his own as he did at the height of his success, Cena felt he had earned the right to jump the line. In fact, he already skipped the qualifying matches that all the other competitors endured, announcing he would enter the men’s Elimination Chamber match because it’s what’s best for business.

Similarly, he likely feels he has earned the right to cut corners and give in to his impulses because he has spent his entire career playing the nice guy. At his lowest point, when Father Time has caught up with him and the competition has evolved, he will sell his soul for the chance at immortality. 

In reality, this will probably lead to a passing of the torch moment for Rhodes, but he needs a proper foil in Cena for it to work.