The Buildup to Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena Has Been Underwhelming, and It’s Set To Get Worse
Following Elimination Chamber 2025, many were expecting Cody Rhodes and John Cena to have one of the most personal rivalries in WWE history. That PLE saw Cena earn the opportunity to challenge for the Undisputed WWE Championship against Rhodes at WrestleMania 41. However, it was the ending that everyone was talking about as Cena turned heel for the first time in over 20 years by attacking Rhodes and aligning himself with The Rock. Unfortunately, the buildup to what was supposed to be one of the biggest WWE matches ever has been nothing but lackluster, and with recent news about Cena’s schedule out, it will not become any better.
There was speculation about The Rock forming a new Corporation faction after partnering with John Cena, though that has not happened yet. What has also not happened is The Rock showing up, as The Final Boss has not been seen on WWE television since Cena’s heel turn, which took place nearly a month ago. Similarly to last year, The Rock was expected to be the main star in the build to WrestleMania 41, though he hasn’t acknowledged anything that has happened since Elimination Chamber, and his name hasn’t even been mentioned in any of Cena’s promos. This is the biggest reason as to why this feud has not lived up to the hype, as the man who’s supposed to be Cody’s biggest enemy is simply not involved.
John Cena will win his 17th WWE World Championship if he defeats Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41, breaking the record for most world titles in WWE history. However, it has not been the focal point of this feud, with the storyline centered too much around the fans. Instead of Cena turning heel because he grew tired of the fans and did not need their support anymore, the WWE should have reasoned the heel turn with the fact that John has not held gold since 2017. This would have made the rivalry with Cody much more personal and would have also made the match feel much bigger than it currently does.
Sadly for WWE fans, this lackluster Road to WrestleMania 41 will not get any better. John Cena and Cody Rhodes have only faced off twice and have not gotten physical yet despite the Grandest Stage Of Them All being just three weeks away. It has now been revealed that this upcoming Monday Night Raw will be Cena’s last appearance until WrestleMania itself, meaning that Rhodes will be left to build the matchup on his own. This, alongside the fact that The Rock has not shown up once, has left many viewers disappointed as they were expecting a much more exciting build to this once-in-a-lifetime match.
