On the go-home show of Friday Night SmackDown before SummerSlam 2025, WWE Champion John Cena delivered a pivotal promo of his farewell retirement tour. Cena is apparently undergoing a dramatic babyface turn after months as a cheating, cowardly heel. In an emotionally charged face-to-face promo with challenger Cody Rhodes, just hours before their WWE Title clash at SummerSlam, Cena revealed a transformative shift in character.
He expressed gratitude to Rhodes for attacking him and forging his signature on their contract though the legal validity remains unclear, calling it the “kick up the ass” he needed. Cena admitted that those who pushed him to embrace his darker side at Elimination Chamber 2025 had abandoned him, leaving him to confront his mistakes. Now, with his retirement set for December 2025, Cena vowed to retire as WWE Champion, wanting fans to remember him as a hero, not someone who sought to undermine wrestling.
Cena’s promo also included a pointed jab at Travis Scott, declaring that the only “platinum rapper” to defeat him would be himself. This comment referenced recent reports of a falling out between WWE and Scott, which led to the cancellation of Scott’s planned in-ring debut. The promo underscored Cena’s renewed commitment to his legacy, setting the stage for an intense title match against Rhodes.
This heartfelt moment marked a significant turning point, as Cena seeks to leave wrestling on a high note, reconnecting with the fans who have supported him throughout his storied career. With SummerSlam 2025 looming, Cena’s return to his babyface roots promises an emotional and unforgettable showdown.
Is John Cena bluffing to soften Cody Rhodes?
This babyface version of John Cena was missing for the past months, nearly half of his retirement year. Fans had high hopes from the Cenation Leader last year when he announced his farewell tour. People did not really expect high-end matches but atleast banger rivalries with the same Cena they were used to see. For the sake of shock value though, WWE decided to pivot and made John the villian of the story.
As per the famous beliefs, fans were high on this new version of Cena too, until that WrestleMania 41 match. WWE and John might be selling it as a part of his ‘ruining wrestling’ shtick for ending the match with cheating. However, for a legend like ‘John Cena’ it was a toll on the fans to see their GOAT resort to these tactics in his last year when he has always been the good guy opposing the heels.
There is a ray of hope for fans to see him as the Hustle, Loyalty, and Respect preacher, given his recent promo. However, is Cena that easy to ‘give up’ on his ‘heel’ thought process? Fans who truly want him back as the baby face are not entirely sure whether the Hollywood side of him is coming through or not. People think that John is bluffing now only to show Cody Rhodes that he is back to being the good guy. On the contrary, John will trick Rhodes again, with his heel tactics and reign supreme at SummerSlam too.