John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes Rematch at WWE SummerSlam 2025, Explained

At SummerSlam, John Cena and Cody Rhodes will continue their feud for the Undisputed WWE Championship and the future of the company.

Last July, Cena dropped the bombshell that WrestleMania 41 would be his last hurrah. Still, no one could’ve guessed what was to come when the reigning champion and future Hall of Famer announced his plans to retire from in-ring competition at the end of 2025.

The men’s Elimination Chamber winner survived an encounter with one of his greatest rivals to secure the chance to headline The Showcase of the Immortals for the final time. In the process, the 48-year-old set up a high-profile match with Rhodes.

However, his historic heel turn at the end of the event turned a showdown between two of the biggest stars of their eras into something more. This wasn’t the chance to pass the torch that most of us would’ve expected.

Instead, one of the most prolific heroes in the history of the genre refused to bow out gracefully and set out to ruin wrestling. Although The American Nightmare initially failed to stop him, he vowed not to flinch this time as he attempts to reclaim his title and right the ship at The Biggest Party of the Summer.

What’s Best For Business

During the debut episode of Raw on Netflix, Cena revealed that it had been 2,446 days since his last win in a one-on-one match. This is uncharted territory for the celebrated veteran, and many assumed this meant he would go on to become a three-time Royal Rumble winner.

After all, we’ve seen him defy the odds before, and maybe he could summon up the resilience and staying power that helped him develop into a household name one more time. Conversely, Jey Uso eliminated him in his final Rumble appearance to pull off an improbable upset and charted his path to immortality at Allegiant Stadium.

Afterward, Cena was notably short and blunt as he declared that he would compete in the main event of WrestleMania 41 and attain his 17th world title victory because “it’s what’s best for business.” It was the first sign that he was done trying to be selfless or please the fans because he earned the right to put his legacy and the company first.

“Best for business” was also a calling card for The Authority, and Rhodes was offered a chance to be The Rock’s corporate champion. All The Final Boss asked for in return was his soul in a bizarre Feb. 21 segment.

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How Much Is Your Soul Worth?

In retrospect, we should’ve seen the writing on the wall as Cena sold his soul instead for one last day in the sun after he capitalized on CM Punk and Seth Rollins’ bitter rivalry to get ahead. Father Time has caught up with him, and he can’t compete with the new crop of talent anymore, so he took a shortcut.

The man who encouraged fans never to give up took the easy way out. The Hollywood star can say it’s because the viewers never truly appreciated him. He even said he was done with this unhealthy relationship, but deep down, he knows that’s not true.

For the first time in his illustrious career, he has to face the impermanence of superstardom, and his time is over. Even worse, the fans have seemingly moved on. They embraced Uso and erupted when he eliminated him to win the men’s Royal Rumble match.

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Similarly, they sing Rhodes’ theme song and herald him as the heir to the empire that Cena helped to build. In response, one of the most recognizable wrestlers ever has to contend with the fact that he may have been replaced.

Most of the all-time greats struggle with the sobering realization that their run has come to an end and find solace in everything they’ve achieved. Regardless of whether anyone agrees with his methods or appreciates his heyday, breaking Ric Flair’s record and becoming a 17-time world champion cements Cena’s claim to be the greatest of all time.

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The Cost of Greatness

Meanwhile, Rhodes achieved his dream of winning the WWE Championship, but he lost some friends and created many new enemies. The price of success was steep, but he was willing to give up his soul even if it meant he would get everything he always wanted.

The second-generation star didn’t want to become the face of the company that way. More importantly, he wasn’t willing to take the low road to defeat a man he idolized to remain on top, and it cost him the win at WrestleMania 41.

Cena took advantage of his moment of weakness and claimed a final career highlight at the event with the help of Travis Scott. When he returned on May 24 at Saturday Night's Main Event, the 40-year-old was determined to avenge his loss at The Show of Shows and end his predecessor's charade.

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Now, the 2025 King of the Ring tournament winner has the means to do so at SummerSlam. During the contract signing of the July 18 episode of SmackDown, “The Last Real Champion” refused to sign because he probably knows he can’t win fair and square.

Additionally, his last defense against Punk proved that Rollins and the Money in the Bank briefcase are a threat to his reign after all. Nevertheless, Rhodes challenged him to a street fight to prove he’s willing to do whatever it takes to beat him this time.

Cena's long-sought-after run as a heel hasn’t been nearly as compelling as we hoped, but this conflict is still straightforward. Rhodes finished the story last year, but to secure his position as the top guy of this era, he has to vanquish one of the best to ever do it.

With about 14 appearances left in 2025, Cena must face his insecurities and decide how he truly wants to end his career as an in-ring competitor.