Report Card Grades for WWE's Biggest Stars So Far in 2025

Through the first half of 2025, WWE programming has seen its fair share of ups and downs, with fans left wondering if the product would improve overall before the end of the year.

To ensure Raw, SmackDown and the premium live events are better, Triple H and WWE Creative will turn to the company's biggest stars to salvage the rest of 2025, including John Cena, Cody Rhodes, Gunther, Tiffany Stratton and CM Punk.

Here are the grades for the biggest WWE stars so far this year.

John Cena

John Cena's heel turn was heralded as a monumental moment at the time, but the further in the rearview it gets, the clearer it becomes that the whole situation has been handled poorly.

Cena's alliance with The Rock was a broken mess, rapper Travis Scott didn't move the needle, and his retirement tour has been filled with lackluster explanations.

Add in a series of nostalgia matches that were better left as memories, and Cena's final WWE run is missing the mark.

The only reason Cena didn't receive an F is due to the inevitable face turn coming after he loses his championship that could salvage a passing grade.

Grade: D

Cody Rhodes

After a hot start to 2025 that included a marquee title defense against Kevin Owens and a tag team win over Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga, Cody Rhodes lost the Undisputed WWE Championship to John Cena at WrestleMania 41 and disappeared.

The American Nightmare returned to WWE television at Saturday Night's Main Event on May 24, setting the stage for a tag team match against Cena and Logan Paul. With a win on SmackDown, he also advanced in the King of the Ring tournament.

If Rhodes wins back his championship at SummerSlam from Cena and carries it through the end of 2025, his grade will rise to an A.

Grade: B

Gunther

Without a doubt, Gunther is the best all-around performer in WWE right now. There are only a few men on the roster who can put on a better match in the ring, and he is vastly underrated on the mic.

The booking of Gunther, Jey Uso and the World Heavyweight Championship has left a lot to be desired, but the belt is now on the man who deserves it most, and he finally has a feud worthy of his talent.

A rivalry with Goldberg will elevate Gunther to the upper echelon and cement his place as one of the greatest of all time.

Grade: A

Tiffany Stratton

Tiffany Stratton has had, arguably, the best year in all of wrestling, first capturing the WWE Women's Championship in January and successfully defending it on four occasions, including a WrestleMania victory over Charlotte Flair.

After a lackluster opening promo in her battle against The Queen, Stratton found her rhythm and has been above average on the mic for the last two months.

Add in an intriguing storyline with Naomi and her Money in the Bank briefcase, and momentum is on Stratton's side.

Even if she loses the title to The Glow, the 26-year-old's stellar year won't be diminished.

Grade: A

CM Punk

Bringing CM Punk back to WWE was one of the company's biggest coups in the war with AEW, but his sporadic appearances and hypocritical actions have left a sour taste in the mouths of some fans.

Add in a Night 1 WrestleMania main event that was a cheesy workaround for his own previous WWE criticisms, and it's been a brutal year for The Best in the World and his fans.

Not only did Punk swear he would never return to WWE—he came back with his tail between his legs after being fired from AEW—but he also talked badly about wrestlers who performed in Saudi Arabia, which is hypocritical now that he has a match against Cena at Night of Champions on June 28.

Grade: F

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