On the final WWE SmackDown before SummerSlam 2025, John Cena opened the show in Newark, NJ, with a dramatic promo alongside Cody Rhodes. In front of a mixed but passionate crowd, Cena dropped his controversial heel persona, admitting that he'd lost himself trying to "make shocking TV" over the past months alongside The Rock and Travis Scott.
He thanked Cody Rhodes for giving him the "kick in the butt" that awakened him, confessed to abandoning his core values, and declared: "August 1, 2025, the day John Cena came back to WWE." In classic Cena fashion, he ended by toasting beers with Rhodes and telling the crowd that whoever leaves SummerSlam with the title, "the fans win" because they'll see Cena at his best in a no-rules, high-stakes street fight.
Cena's pivot marks a massive, sudden shift in what had been WWE's marquee storyline - his shocking heel turn earlier this year and subsequent alliance with Travis Scott and The Rock had dominated headlines and set up months of intrigue. The decision to abruptly drop the heel run (just as WWE Unreal's Netflix premiere pulls back the curtain on how the whole storyline was conceived) signals a drastic course change.
By reverting to his beloved babyface persona, WWE is betting on authenticity and nostalgia after the heel run reportedly struggled to connect long-term with the audience. The move leaves unresolved threads and dashes expectations of an extended villainous Cena run, amplifying anticipation and uncertainty for SummerSlam and beyond.
The main event of SummerSlam Night 2 is now supercharged—not only is it Cena's possible last stand as champion, but the narrative has shifted to putting both superstars' "true selves" on the line. Fans will see now see "Never Give Up” Cena go against Cody Rhodes, who has clawed his way back into contention and might even be positioned for a heel turn himself.
With no rules in this street fight and after the emotional SmackDown faceoff, the match is expected to be both personal and explosive. Cena's return to his iconic persona raises the stakes for his legacy, and many anticipate that this could be the moment for Rhodes to finally dethrone him, altering the WWE landscape as WWE's biggest summer storyline takes another wild turn.
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