We’re simply days away from 2025, and the cardboard for WrestleMania 41 continues to be a large query mark. Followers assumed we’d see Seth Rollins vs CM Punk. That’s now taking place throughout Uncooked’s first episode on Netflix. Followers assumed we’d see Liv Morgan vs Rhea Ripley. That’s now slated for Netflix too. Followers assumed we’d see both The Rock vs Roman Reigns or The Rock vs Cody Rhodes. Now rumors are swirling that The Rock may not even take part. It’s chaos out right here, which is resulting in all types of untamed fantasy reserving, which has led me to a prediction I’ve to speak about involving John Cena and Cody Rhodes.
WWE has an ideal downside on its arms. There are method too many scorching characters and massive names proper now to place everybody in a foremost occasion at WrestleMania. You would make not less than a midway respectable case for every of Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, The Rock, Drew McIntyre, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, John Cena and Gunther to shut one of many nights of the ‘Mania 41, however in all probability, solely 4 of these folks will get the consideration. As WWE Champion and the most important chicken babyface on the roster, you’d assume Rhodes could be assured a kind of spots, however the extra I speak this out and transfer the items round, the much less I’m positive about that, which is the place John Cena might are available.
Earlier than we get to him proper now, although, let’s speak about the place Cody Rhodes is at. The present WWE Champion is within the midst of, by far, his finest feud since he received The WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40. Kevin Owens has stolen his Winged Eagle Championship and is now claiming he’s extra deserving of the belt after Rhodes wanted two referee bumps and a chair to beat him on the reboot of Saturday Night time’s Primary Occasion. The gang is extraordinarily engaged and will probably be actually fired up each time they meet once more, however we’re too far out from WrestleMania for this to be an actual chance for Cody. They’re not going to increase this for 4 months, and in the event that they did, followers would in all probability activate it.
So, he’s going to want another person to work with at WrestleMania. The idea for awhile has been that it’ll be Randy Orton. Perhaps The Viper will activate him, turning into the second good friend to betray him after KO? That definitely appears like a narrative I need to watch, however a WrestleMania Primary Occasion? I’m not so positive about that. Orton hasn’t received a match on PPV since his Survivor Collection WarGames return in 2023 that was overshadowed by CM Punk’s return the identical night time.
He hasn’t received a singles match on PPV since he beat Bray Wyatt in one of the infuriating matches in WrestleMania historical past all the way in which again in 2021. He’s a legend and tremendous over with the group, however what about this latest observe document would make anybody suppose he might or ought to beat Rhodes? If WWE needs to offer us Rhodes vs Orton, I’m effective with that, however until it will get actually scorching within the build-up, I don’t see the way it can foremost occasion both of the 2 nights.
However John Cena and Cody Rhodes definitely might. Wrestling journalist JD From NY talked about the chance in one in all his latest movies. Nobody is speaking about it as a result of each Cena and Rhodes are babyfaces who the viewers needs to root for. On the floor, it doesn’t actually make sense. The gang would in all probability root for Cena, given that is going to be his final WrestleMania and he’s making an attempt to interrupt the document for many World Championships. So, why would WWE need to topic its most pure babyface to the potential for getting booed? Nicely, the soiled fact is they appear to already be opening up that door.
Have a look at Cody Rhodes’ actions during the last a number of months. First, he teamed with Roman Reigns, the person who injured a number of of his buddies and dominated over the WWE with an iron fist. Second, WWE had a number of of his on-screen buddies name him out for it, and he nonetheless teamed with Roman and ignored their considerations. Third, he willingly gave a Cross Rhodes to Kevin Owens onto a chair throughout their latest match, which is traditional heel habits. Fourth, WWE has had a number of the commentators very loudly and forcibly paint Rhodes as a villain or accuse him of dishonest.
The American Nightmare is clearly nonetheless a babyface at this level. He’s cheered like a second coming of 1994 Bret Hart everytime he comes out of the again, and he nonetheless talks about good quaint values and connects with the children at ringside. He’s a babyface, however there are all these indicators that he may not be nearly as good as he appears. And within the historical past of WWE, there has by no means been extra of a traditional good man than John Cena. The Make A Want legend has spent his complete profession preaching optimistic considering and exhausting work, and he’s arguably the one character on the roster who has the great man credentials to name Cody out. So, in the event that they need to flip him towards the darkish aspect, that is their likelihood to do it.
John Cena Vs Cody Rhodes is a slam dunk WrestleMania foremost occasion. It’s the kind of factor you placed on the poster and scream about as loudly as attainable to advertise the present. It might give John Cena an actual storyline to sink his enamel into. As a substitute of a enjoyable little nostalgia run the place he performs the hits, it might give him an opportunity to jot down a completely new chapter folks keep in mind fondly, simply as The Rock did when he got here again and turned heel firstly of this 12 months.
It might additionally give Rhodes an opportunity to reinvent himself a bit of bit. All the stuff with KO Is tremendous scorching proper now, however that is immediately associated to calling Rhodes out over his habits. Previous to that, all we received have been some forgettable feuds and even some calls to take the belt off of him. This may give him the possibility to drag off an all-time traditional heel flip most followers would not see coming.
I’m not saying WWE goes to do that, however the chance is de facto intriguing. They’d be silly to not contemplate it.