Predictions for Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins More After WWE Night of Champions 2025

With Night of Champions in the books, WWE has planted the seeds for an eventful summer and its second two-night premium live event of the year.

SummerSlam will emanate from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ on Aug. 2 and 3. The annual midseason finale will take place on two nights for the first time in the event’s history, and the company has already set up some potential developments and memorable moments.

The King and Queen of the Ring winners are set to challenge for championship gold in two big rematches from earlier this year. The men’s and women’s Money in the Bank briefcase is still in play, and John Cena’s farewell tour has reached the halfway mark.

These are our predictions for five wrestlers who will play a pivotal role following this weekend’s festivities.

Solo Sikoa

Jacob Fatu isn’t done with Solo Sikoa and The Bloodline yet, following the outcome of their U.S. title match.

Fatu is well on his way to becoming a successful singles wrestler and popular babyface since he cut ties with the group. However, Sikoa defeated The Samoan Werewolf with the help of a returning Tanga Loa and debuting Tala Tonga. 

Expect the two to continue this feud throughout the summer, but the 32-year-old probably won’t hold the United States Championship for long. Although it seems strange to cut Fatu’s reign, this was a logical way to keep this rivalry going and re-establish Sikoa as a competent threat. 

It may not be the most exciting development for fans who have grown tired of The Bloodline, but its leader needed his first singles title win on the main roster.

Jade Cargill

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Jade Cargill took her first step towards success as a singles competitor as the 2025 Queen of the Ring winner.

WWE prolonged this run as Nia Jax eliminated her via disqualification in last year’s tournament, and she was still linked to the “Big Three.” Cargill originally set her sights on the women’s championship when she challenged Tiffany Stratton during the April 25 episode of SmackDown.

Now, she has secured a rematch at SummerSlam, but she will have to proceed with caution because Naomi still has the chance to play spoiler. Ms. Money in the Bank will inevitably try to cash in at The Biggest Party of the Summer because she still has animosity toward Stratton as well.

It’s predictable, but this is the best way to advance this storyline and eventually add Bianca Belair to the fray. Tension between the former tag team champions will likely boil over and lead to a triple threat match or a long-awaited one-on-one bout at WrestleMania 42.

John Cena

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John Cena’s heel turn and subsequent title reign have been a real mixed bag, but it’s hard to believe it will end at SummerSlam.

His latest feud with CM Punk was the most interesting his farewell tour has been since the initial turn. The build to their match at Night of Champions had its hiccups, but it was mostly well-executed, and the two still have great chemistry.

Nevertheless, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Cena retained at the event, and we suspect that he will survive again at The Biggest Party of the Summer. This run has been underwhelming, but WWE will keep milking it until his rumored final appearance on Dec. 13 at TD Garden in Boston, MA. 

The 17-time world champion also showed glimpses of his old self again during his match with Punk. So, expect an act of redemption and well-earned ovation before he retires at the end of the year. 

Seth Rollins

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Seth Rollins nearly walked out of Night of Champions as the new Undisputed WWE champion.

Ironically, The Visionary has seemed a bit directionless since he won the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match. When he didn’t attempt to cash in on Jey Uso during his rematch with Gunther, most of us didn’t expect him to go after Cena and cost Punk the win, even though it should’ve been obvious. 

In fact, Cena essentially telegraphed during the June 13 episode of SmackDown when he said he doesn’t have to worry about Rollins. However, it makes sense for him to pursue the undisputed title because he declared himself the No. 1 guy, and he has claimed everything Roman Reigns coveted as The Tribal Chief except the company’s top prize.

The 39-year-old also said he wants one last match against Cena during a recent interview with "Entertainment Tonight." The two famously competed in a Winner Takes All match at SummerSlam in 2015, so it would be a nice callback if he factored into his upcoming defense at the event. 

Meanwhile, reports suggest that Reigns could also return at the event, setting him up to interfere and delay his former stablemate’s next world title win.

Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes is determined to avenge his loss to Cena at WrestleMania 41 and regain his spot as the face of the company.

The 2025 King of the Ring winner is set to challenge Cena at SummerSlam, but this all seems too easy. As stated earlier, WWE can get more mileage out of this title run and the chase for the rest of the year. 

Rhodes is still the favorite to defeat him, but we don’t think it will happen in August. Cena will likely retain again due to another cavalcade of run-ins to interfere. Yes, that sounds uninspiring, and WWE’s current big match formula has grown stale.

Nevertheless, it’s hard to imagine the company won’t squeeze as much drama and revenue out of this heel turn as possible. The 48-year-old also still has some iconic opponents left to work with one last time, such as Rollins and AJ Styles.

The American Nightmare will ultimately hold championship gold again, but we don’t think The Biggest Party of the Summer is the destination for his second world title win.