Ranking John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes and the 10 Best WWE Matches of 2025
Say what you will of WWE creatively in 2025, but the company has delivered more than a few great matches this year, featuring some of the top stars in the industry.
From John Cena's retirement tour to the grand stage of WrestleMania 41, the settings were plenty and varied, and the contests excellent.
As a tumultuous year in WWE comes to a close, relive the matches that kept fans engaged and captivated, including championship bouts, grudge matches and even a rare unsanctioned war of attrition between two best friends.
10. El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Chad Gable (Worlds Collide)
1 of 10
In the first AAA event under the WWE umbrella, El Hijo del Vikingo defended the AAA Mega Championship against Chad Gable at Worlds Collide, less than 24 hours before Money in the Bank.
Two of the best pure athletes in all of pro wrestling tore the house down inside the Kia Forum, delivering a dramatic contest that saw Gable attempt to ground Vikingo with his mat-based offense, only for the face of lucha libre's future to offset his arsenal with a high-flying skill set that wowed fans.
After 22 minutes, the babyface champion bested Gable, retaining his title and kicking off what would become a tumultuous year for him that ultimately saw him develop into one of, if not the, most hated wrestlers in Mexico.
9. Trick Williams vs. Je'Von Evans vs. Oba Femi (NXT Stand & Deliver)
2 of 10
Oba Femi, Trick Williams, and Je'Von Evans demonstrated why they are considered the future of pro wrestling in WWE with a show-stealing Triple Threat match for the NXT Championship at Stand & Deliver.
Faced with the unenviable task of halting Femi's dominance and attempting to dethrone him, Evans and Williams threw everything they had at him, including a Rock Bottom from the latter through the announce table.
Both challengers came within seconds of winning the title. Still, by the end of the match, Femi recovered and drove Williams into Evans with the Fall From Grace, securing the win and retaining his title.
It was the first instance of the three talented individuals being at the center of show-stealing performances for the black and silver brand in 2025.
8. CM Punk vs. Gunther (SummerSlam)
3 of 10
It was clobbering time as CM Punk entered MetLife Stadium for SummerSlam and the most physical match of his second stint in WWE, a World Heavyweight Championship encounter with Gunther.
This was the main event of SummerSlam Night 1, and the two men took the WWE faithful on a roller-coaster ride that saw the young, more physically dominant champion pummel his challenger.
Punk survived two of Gunther's powerbombs and a dropkick in between, then tripped the heel up on the commentary table, busting him open.
Gunther applied the sleeper, but Punk fought his way free and delivered the Go To Sleep for the win and title.
If the match was not already an epic display of pro wrestling excellence, the angle afterward, featuring Seth Rollins' unexpected return from "injury" to cash in Money in the Bank and steal the gold from his rival was.
7. Rhea Ripley vs. Iyo Sky vs. Naomi (Evolution)
4 of 10
Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky had demonstrated their superb in-ring chemistry earlier in 2025, so it was no surprise they tore the house down in the headliner of the second Evolution premium live event.
Desperate to get that elusive victory over The Genius of the Sky, Ripley threw everything she had at the world champion, with the fight even spilling to the floor and into the crowd.
Sky answered with a moonsault from the stands onto her opponent and sought to retain her unbeaten record against Mami.
Before a winner could be determined in the instant classic, though, Naomi had other plans.
The Money in the Bank winner and loser of her match against Jade Cargill earlier in the night hit the ring to cash in her guaranteed championship opportunity. She took advantage of both women being down following a Spanish Fly, sent Ripley into the steel post, and pinned Sky after blasting her with the briefcase.
It was an electrifying exclamation point to what was already an extraordinary match and a career highlight for Naomi.
6. John Cena vs. AJ Styles (Crown Jewel)
5 of 10
Two of the greatest WWE Superstars of all time squared off as John Cena clashed with AJ Styles in Perth, Australia at Crown Jewel.
An ode to their historic rivalry and a tip of the cap to others who were integral parts of each competitor's career, the contest was fan service as its finest.
Cena and Styles broke out finishers and signature moves belonging to everyone from Shawn Michaels and Triple H to "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels, who Cena trained with and Styles battled countless times in TNA and the independents.
Ultimately, it was The Undertaker's Tombstone that proved to be Styles' downfall as Cena tipped his cap to The Deadman before putting his opponent away with one last Attitude Adjustment.
A display of love and affection for each other and the industry that helped them get to that point in their careers, it was a perfect match for both the crowd in Australia and the fans watching around the world, from two of the most significant pro wrestlers of their generation.
5. CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins (WrestleMania 41)
6 of 10
CM Punk finally got his WrestleMania main event in 2025, battling Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns in a Triple Threat match to close out Night 1 of this year's Showcase of the Immortals.
The Best in the World did not disappoint, meshing well with the former members of The Shield, whom he introduced to the WWE Universe some 13 years earlier.
Utilizing signature moves, dramatic near-falls and the uncertainty surrounding Paul Heyman and his intentions, the three stars crafted a phenomenal match well deserving of the "this is awesome" chants that accompanied it.
Punk delivered a Go To Sleep to Rollins, only to suffer a spear from Reigns, who endured a stomp from the rebounding Visionary in one of the bout's most memorable moments.
Ultimately, it was Heyman and his betrayal of Punk and Reigns, and union with Rollins, that earned The Architect the win and set the stage for The Vision to dominate on Monday nights.
It also ensured The Voice of the Voiceless and The Tribal Chief would remain thorns in The Wise Man's side the rest of the year.
4. Street Fight for WWE Championship: John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes (SummerSlam)
7 of 10
After a WrestleMania 41 main event that simply did not work, John Cena and Cody Rhodes met once more in the main event of SummerSlam.
Returning to the good graces of the WWE fans following a heel turn that sputtered out, Cena took to the annual summertime stage one last time and proceeded to deliver the best match of his retirement run, a wild and chaotic Street Fight with The American Nightmare with the Undisputed WWE Championship on the line.
The fans at MetLife Stadium ate it all up, gleefully going along for the ride that Cena and Rhodes took them on. An iconic moment saw Cena emerge from Rhodes' stage elevator, the challenger draped on his shoulders for an Attitude Adjustment. The shot, with the back lightning, was nothing short of phenomenal.
The combatants traded finishers, with Cena escaping three consecutive Cross Rhodes and the challenger kicking out of an avalanche Attitude Adjustment.
A Cody Cutter through a table, followed by one last Cross Rhodes, ultimately earned The American Nightmare victory and a sign of respect from Cena in an emotional close.
3. The Street Profits vs. Motor City Machine Guns vs. DIY (SmackDown, April 25)
8 of 10
The SmackDown tag team division took center stage on the road to WrestleMania but when it was time to put the card together for the biggest show of the year, it was conspicuous in its absence.
Instead, The Street Profits, Motor City Machine Guns, and DIY were left to settle their differences on the April 25 episode of SmackDown in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship.
Driven by frustration after missing out on the biggest show of the year, Montez Ford, Angelo Dawkins, Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano proceeded to steal the show, delivering a match that was better than 90 percent of the 'Mania card.
Throwing caution to the wind, they captivated fans en route to The Street Profits besting their opponents and leaving with the gold.
Likely to be forgotten amid the PLE matches from the rest of the year, this is well worth going out of your way to watch if you somehow missed it originally.
2. Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens (Elimination Chamber)
9 of 10
Take two best friends in the middle of the latest chapter of their epic rivalry, turn them loose in an Unsanctioned match in front of their fellow Canadians in Toronto's Rogers Centre, and watch as they create magic.
That is exactly what Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens did at Elimination Chamber in March.
There was fighting on the arena floor, numerous near-falls, drama and chaos that culminated in the heartless KO driving Zayn into the ring apron with multiple powerbombs to secure the win.
A five-star classic heightened by the raw emotion on display and a red-hot Canadian crowd, it is, arguably, the forgotten gem of 2025 and the final match Owens wrestled before undergoing neck surgery and missing the remainder of the year.
1. Rhea Ripley vs. Iyo Sky vs. Bianca Belair (WrestleMania 41)
10 of 10
In a year when women's wrestling saved an otherwise pedestrian 12 months from WWE, it's fitting the instant classic in which Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair challenged Iyo Sky for the Women's World Championship at WrestleMania 41 is its best match.
Three generational talents, all of whom came up together in NXT at the same time, took to the squared circle in Las Vegas and wasted little time stealing the show and proving women's wrestling is as strong as ever in the industry's top company.
Jaw-dropping displays of athleticism, creative sequences, dramatic near-falls and a finish that saw Belair whip Ripley with her braid and deliver the Kiss of Death, only for Sky to come off the top rope with a moonsault to break up that pin and score the victory for herself, helped elevate it past others on this list.
It was everything WrestleMania should be about and a reminder that some of the best and most talented professional wrestlers in the world can be found in the WWE women's division.
Ripley and Sky would go on to do battle again in 2025 before forming a tag team, while the broken finger suffered by Belair in the match ensured it would be the last match she wrestled this year.
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